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REV. JOHN B. KUGLER. 



/ THE HISTORY 

OF 

THE FIRST ENGLISH 

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 

IN AMWELL 

BY 

REV. JOHN BACKER KUGLER, V A. M. 

CLINTON, N. J. 



1912 



The Unionist-Gazette association 
somerville, n. j. 

I 9 I 2 



do\o\{ X* 



: 






Copyright, 1912, by The Unionist-Gazette Association 
Somerville, New Jersey 



©CI.A332849 ^ 



DEDICATION. 

IT IS IN HARMONY WITH THE FITNESS OF THINGS THAT 

I Dedicate 

THIS HISTORY TO YOU 

ANN ELIZABETH CRAMER, 

MY BELOVED WIFE. 

I do this to express my appreciation of your great 
helpfulness in the work we shared for the Master; and 
with the intent, that it may serve as a Memorial of your 
faithfulness in his service, after we shall have finished 
our Mission. It was while the June roses were bloom- 
ing in eighteen hundred and seventy-three that you per- 
mitted me to call you by my own name. From that day 
onward, the charm of your personality has blessed my 
home. At once your enthusiasm for the Saviour's work 
kindled a like zeal among the Church women, so that 
they gladly followed your leadership without faltering 
during the ten years we continued in the home Church 
of your girlhood and young womanhood. This is an 
achievement, I believe, rarely equalled, never surpassed. 

And further, the same unswerving devotion to duty 
on your part was a large factor in accomplishing blessed 
results in the other churches in connection with which 
our lot was cast. 

John B. Kugler. 



^ 






FOREWORD. 

The writer is aware that from the viewpoint of the 
stranger this History may seem to be burdened with 
unimportant statements. Be it so. In reply he begs to 
say that in its production his aim has been to aid a 
venerable Mother to tell the Story of her life to her 
children. True, multitudes of these children have 
obeyed the Master's call to come home; yet there are 
others who fondly gather within her doors for worship, 
while vaster numbers of her children and children's 
children are scattered and settled in nearly every State 
of the Union. 

From these scattered children have come to the 
writer, again and again, requests for just such unim- 
portant facts (but very important to a child), as are 
here given. 

His deep regret is, that many of these requests must 
ever remain unanswered. Conscious of this, and other 
deficiencies, yet after long and persistent research, he 
submits this record of those whose memories we fondly 
cherish, along with this venerable Mother Church for 
which his affection has increased with years of de- 
voted service, with the desire that it may awaken a 
stronger attachment to this Church of Christ, and a 
gladness like that of the Psalmist, when they say unto 
us: Let us go into the house of the Lord. 

John B. Kugler. 
Clinton, N. J., March 5th, 191 2. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMWELL PERIOD I. 

Page. 

First Things, — First Dates 15 

First Families — The Cases, The Holcombes, The 

Coryells, The Stouts, The Chamberlins 21 

The Hills, The Sutphens, The Griggs 30 

The Henrys, The Pralls 37 

The Readings 57 

The Church in the Cemetery, its date ; the first meet- 
ing of Presbytery of New Brunswick, and first 

in Amwell 60 

Rev. John Rowland 61 

Whitefield at Amwell 67 

The Lottery 70 

The first pastor, Rev. Eliab By ram 72 

Second Amwell organized , 74 

The oldest subscription paper 76 

The second pastor, Rev. Benjamin Hait 79 

The third pastor, Rev. William Kirkpatrick 87 

His death 87 

The Communion Cups 42 and 88 

Bequest of Joseph Reed 89 

PERIOD 11. 

The fourth pastor, Mr. Warford 93 

Mrs. Kirkpatrick and Mr. Warford are married. . . 98 

Salary paid in produce 102 

Depreciated currency 106 



vi CONTENTS 

Page. 
Means of heating the Church and the form of Church 

building 1 1 1 

Pews and pew holders in 

Death of Miss Kirkpatrick 113 

William, son of Mr. Kirkpatrick 114-117 

Rev. Mr. Warford leaves Amwell 117 

Roll (on parchment) for swearing Trustees 118 

Appendix II, Captain John Schenck 120 

The fifth pastor, Rev. Thomas Grant 122 

Dr. John Witherspoon in Amwell 123 and 128 

Petition for Church at Flemington 125 

Argument for the same 127 

Mr. Grant ordained and installed 129 

Flemington formed themselves into a Church 130 

First existing Minute Book of Trustees 130 

Purchase of plantation 130 

The plantation sold 132 

Mr. Grant resigns 134 

The sixth pastor, Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick 137 

Limited call 138 

The German Church became Presbyterian and united 

with Amwell First 142 

The corporate name taken 142 

Names born by these churches 143 

The union dissolved 147 

Business meetings of the two churches often held at 

the house of Joseph Kugler 146-148 

Mr. Kirkpatrick goes with Amwell Second and the 

new Church 149 

Sketch of Mr. Kirkpatrick 150 



CONTENTS vii 

Page. 

Organization of the Hunterdon County Bible So- 
ciety 154 

List of Mr. Kirkpatrick's supporters 156 

PERIOD III. 

The seventh pastor, Rev. John F. Clark 163 

Amwell First alone in support of pastor 163 

List of people adhering to this Church 165 

Flemington proposes union 168 

Union consummated 1 70 

Rev. Mr. Clark appointed as Supply for half his 

time 171 

Smallness of subscriptions for support of Church. ... 175 

List of members when Mr. Clark took charge 176 

Mrs. Mary Wilson, daughter of Peter Fisher 177 

What Mr. Clark did for the Church 178-183 

Union with Flemington discontinued 184 

Mr. Clark called for his whole time by Amwell. ... 184 

Mr. Clark resigns 184 

Sabbath School organized by Mr. Clark 184 

Sketch of Mr. and Mrs. Clark 188 

The eighth pastor, Rev. David Hull 190 

Decide to build new Church 193 

Funds in hand used for new Church, and to be 

built at Greenville 193 

Built by contract, and cost 194 

Date of the erection of new Church 194 

Presbytery of Raritan organized 195 

Union with Clover Hill consummated 196 

Sketch of Mr. Hull 210 



viii CONTENTS 

Page. 

The ninth pastor, Rev. Benjamin Carrell 211 

Members received by Mr. Carrell 214 

Total number 219 

Mr. Carrell dismissed at his own request by Presby- 
tery 219 

The work of the Church for Missions during Mr. 

Carrell's pastorate 220 

Sketch of Mr. Carrell 221 

The tenth pastor, Rev. Geo. P. Van Wyck 222 

Result of labors 224 

Pastor's sickness 224 

Pastoral relation dissolved 225 

Sketch of Mr. Van Wyck 225 

Union of the Church with Clover Hill dissolved . . . 226 

The eleventh pastor, Rev. J. B. H. Janeway 228 

Mr. Janeway installed 228 

Ingathering under Mr. Janeway 231 

Death of Mrs. Janeway 232 

Personal sketch of Mr. Janeway 233 

The twelfth pastor, Rev. N. L. Upham 234 

His installation 234 

Favorable condition of the Church 236 

Session enlarged 236 

Loss of Elders by death 236 

Members received by Mr. Upham 238 

Parsonage built 241 

Increased beneficence of the church 242 

Personal sketch of Mr. Upham 243 

Thirteenth pastor, Rev. John H. Scofleld 245 

Mr. Scofleld installed , 245 



CONTENTS ix 

Page. 

Election of Elders and deacons 246 

Members received by Mr. Scofield 248 

Result of beneflcient work of the Church 250 

Report of interest on parsonage discontinued 251 

Personal sketch of Mr. Scofield 251 

He married a descendant of Gov. Reading 252 

Fourteenth pastor, Rev. John S. Beekman 252 

Rev. Mr. Macbeth supplied pulpit 253 

Mr. Beekman installed 253 

Persons received by Mr. Beekman 254 

Amwell unites with neighboring churches in support- 
ing Missionary on Sourland Mountains 255 

"Difficulty" in the Church. . 256 

Firm stand for orderly proceedings taken by Chair- 
man Hill . 258 

Beneficent work under Mr. Beekman 260 

The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society organized 

under Mr. Beekman 260 

Personal sketch of Mr. Beekman 261 

The fifteenth pastor, Rev. J. W. P. Blattenberger. . 263 

His installation 264 

Gift from Mrs. John Quick 266 

Pastor offered his resignation 267 

Opposed by Congregation and he remained 267 

Pastoral relation to Church dissolved 268 

A great ingathering into the Church 269 

New Elders chosen 273 

The Church enlarged and greatly improved 277 

Tabulated statement of Church's beneficence 279 

Personal sketch of Mr. Blattenberger. 279 



x CONTENTS 

Page. 

Appendix No. i., Elder John Y. Bellis 280 

The Sixteenth pastor, Rev. T. C. Potter 283 

Called 283 

Installed 285 

Close of first year 286 

Pastoral relations dissolved 287 

C. E. Society organized 287 

Personal sketch 289 

Appendix, Geo. P. Rex, M. D 290 

The seventeenth pastor, Rev. J. B. Kugler 294 

Mr. Kugler installed 296 

Foreign Missions pressed on the Church 297 

Death of Elder Hill 300 

Increased interest in Foreign Missions. . 305 

Inter-Church evangelism 307 

Mrs. Kugler organized Mission Band 309 

Death of Deacon Sutphen 310 

The 1 60th anniversary of the Church 311 

Hunterdon County Church evangelism 314 

Election of Elders 315 

Death of Deacon John Quick 316 

Pastor's sickness 318 

Pastoral relation to Church dissolved 319 

Review of pastor's aims and successes 320 

Tabulated statement of beneficence 322 

Sexton Wm. Cronce 324 

Mrs. Christianna Wert 324 

Personal sketch of pastor 3 2 4 

Appendix, Elder Quick 326 

Roll of officers and members 329 



PERIOD I. 

This is the Colonial Period; Extending From the 

Origin of the Church to the Declaration 

of Independence. 



The Amwell First Church 



PERIOD I. 

Section i. First Things. 

Walk about Zion, and go round about her; tell the 
towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her 
palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. — 
Ps. 48:12-13. 

THE text assigns two duties which claim our at- 
tention. The one is to recognize the full equip- 
ment of Zion for defense and safety and fellowship 
as shown by tower and bulwark and palace. And so 
confident is the psalmist of security that he asks for a 
military inspection of Zion's security. And yet it is 
patent to all believers that he does not so much rely on 
these fortifications for the protection of Zion, as upon the 
more essential fact, that God is known in her palaces for 
a refuge. It is this most precious truth, wrought into the 
very fibre of the Jewish patriot who, rejoicing in this 
relationship, exclaims, "The Lord is my rock, and my 
fortress, and my deliverer." We would be disloyal to 
our divine Master not to recognize his indwelling in the 
Church now, as really as in the past. For safety and 
for victory, the Lord of hosts is with us; the God ot 
Jacob is our refuge. God is good to Zion, and he would 
have his goodness known. For lack of this knowledge 
men perish. 

Hence the second duty enjoined is to make known 
3 



AMWZLL FIRST CKVRCri 

the fact o: Gc-i's irivreliirz ir his Church is the srirte 
:: her life, mi stretrth mi snery. An mi^nr this 
each g eneral i o n is to "tdl it to the generations following/"" 
Ari while thus he nriiries 1: re his. rexie's strerrth 
and safety, be it remembered that the instruments of bis 
care, and die gifts of bis love may diner. The tower and 
bulwark of the Church to-day are die finished atonement, 
the risen Christ, the gift of the Spirit, die completed 
Bible, the ministry of die Word, the appointed Sacra- 
nerrs mi the ::rs.rcra:e-i iir.es :: her sirs mi iirrr- 
:ers-. Tif m.r mens nc'inerts mi si.crizier.is :•: ::r. 
01£ Testirren mi Ner. :y stress :•: exirrple. shi~ r:^r 
God would have us make known the former victories 
:: ris rTize ::■ ire rres-er: rer.erzr.:r : iter, rnrerirr 11 
rhe itiieveneris :: ire pis: mi r riser: :: :eh ill :: 
the generation following.' 9 Herein is divine authority for 
Church History. In obedience to this authority we arc 
assembled here to-day to tell the story of die AmweU 
Firs: Pres:y:er:m Church. 5: fir is :rr :~r exrerieree 
demands this would be an easy task. 

Br: ::■ cither 1; the reclectec mi f:rc:i:er. 11s: Ir 
the history of this venerable Church, and bom 2 Line 
hoc rod 1 name or date there, to tell what G: i has 
vrrcrzh: ir her. mi :y her his heer ::iri n:s: iirici!i 
:: nctrtplish. Ari I =rc itrsciiis thi: iris rrr:: ::• 
tell the sicry :: ris £ rings ir the cis: :: the rres-er: cer- 
ermirr arc :: tc: :: :r recrrc ::: ire zrereritrr : r 
ire vril he ::iri 12: :::~ snisfmtrrv. Ti s'rieli nysel: 
:::n ::•: se' ere rriirisn fir sin ierciercy i rez 1: sine 
•'7.1: rhe Records :•: ire Sessiir :: the lltcrcc ire lis: 
from the unknown beg inning up to 1821. or a period of 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 5 

at least eighty-four years. And the Records of Trustees 
and Congregational Meetings are also lost up to 1792, a 
period of at least fifty-five years. 

To cover this long period we must rely first upon the 
Records of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, with a 
record or two on the minutes of the Presbytery of Phila- 
delphia. 

In addition to these chief sources of information we 
have a few subscription lists and other scattered papers, 
preserved by Jasper Smith, one of the early and most 
active members of this Church. We have also been able 
to cull a few facts from Hodges' Constitutional History 
of the Presbyterian Church, from Alexander's Log Col- 
lege, from Murphy's Presbytery of the Log College, from 
Nevius' Encyclopedia, from Mott and Blattenberger, who 
have reaped and garnered all the full sheaves from this 
field, from Sprague, and Webster, from Smith's, N. J., 
and Snell's Hunterdon County, from Cooley of Ewing, 
and Hall of Trenton, from Beatty, Kirkpatrick and Con- 
verse; from family records furnished by several members 
of this congregation, from correspondence with distant 
ministers and professors, and from visits of inquiry and 
research to distant cities, and last of all, from the me- 
morial stones and monuments in yonder cemetery, where 
sleep the beloved dead of the congregation. 

Yet we do not know the date of the organization of 
the Church, nor who were its first members, nor the names 
of the persons active in its establishment. However, there 
are many facts of much value pertaining to the early 
history of the Church, which we deem worthy of being 
recorded. The small country Church is too often looked 



6 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

upon as an institution of but little importance to the 
State or the Church at large. Yet I am confident that 
the history of this Church, along with scores of others, 
similar in location and numbers, will show how erroneous 
that opinion is. This Church not only has a history, but 
that history shows it to be a factor of great efficiency and 
influence in the nation and in the Church at large. In 
the first place, the Church stands on historic grounds, 
and is identified with "the beginnings of things." A 
tribe of Indians living near the site of Hartsville, Pa., 
had a path to and across the Delaware at Lambertville, 
and thence to Newark, by way of Mt. Airy, Ringoes and 
Reaville. In time this path became the Old York Road. 
In a deed for land at Ringoes, dated August 25th, 1726, 
this is described as the King's Highway, that is called the 
York Road. That road passed the doors both of the old 
Church and that in which we now worship. And this is 
historical ground in a higher sense. 

The oppressions of Charles II, who died in 1685, 
toward dissenters of every phase of faith, such as Quakers, 
Puritans, Independents and Presbyterians, and the greater 
sufferings visited upon the same people by that monster 
of cruelty, his brother, the Duke of York, who reigned 
as James II, until December 25, 1688, drove many of 
these most valuable citizens from the kingdom. Some 
went to Germany, others to Holland, and many came 
to the Colonies in America. And, though the government 
changed for the better, in subsequent reigns, yet religious 
privileges were much restricted, especially from 17 14 to 
1 740. As a consequence, multitudes of the oppressed came 
to America for the freedom they could not find at home. 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 7 

The revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV ot 
France in 1685, and like oppressions in the Palatinate, 
now covered chiefly by Bavaria and Baden, had a similar 
effect, in driving many earnest souls from their own 
country, of whom thousands came to America. 

Fronde says that in two years, after the Antrim Evic- 
tion, 30,000 Protestants left Ulster, in the north of Ire- 
land, for a land where there was no legal robbery. Ships 
could not be found to carry the people who were eager to 
go. The rich and spacious Amwell Valley at an early 
day received many of these worthy immigrants. Some 
landing at Philadelphia, proceeded to Lambertville, and 
came into the valley from the west. Others landed at 
Perth Amboy or New York. Many settled on Long 
Island, others on Staten Island, who eventually came over 
to Jersey, journeyed up the Raritan, and finally settled in 
Amwell. 

Such a people will make history. They will also or- 
ganize a church and form a state. So worthy an ancestry 
should inspire us with the determination to be their 
worthy sons. These are the people who formed this 
Church. But when? We do not know. But in 1738 
the Synod of Philadelphia ordered that the members of 
the Presbytery of Long Island should be united with the 
Presbytery of East Jersey, and be henceforth known by 
the name of the Presbytery of New York. The same 
year came a supplication of some members of the Pres- 
bystery of New York to be erected into a new Presbytery 
with certain members of the Presbytery of Philadelphia. 
The petition was granted and the churches to constitute 
the Presbytery mentioned. And it was ordered that said 



8 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Presbytery be known by the name of the Presbytery of 
New Brunswick, and that the time of their first meeting 
be the second Tuesday (which was the 8th) of August 
next, and that they meet at New Brunswick. Amwell 
First was at this time a member of the Presbytery of Phil- 
adelphia and was by this order made a member of the 
Presbytery of New Brunswick. It was then an organ- 
ized Church, having a house of worship. This date, 1738, 
160 years ago, has long been that, from which the exist- 
ence of this Church has been known or recorded. That it 
was then an organized Church, with a house of worship, 
is evidence conclusive that its origin was prior to this 
date. After long research I have been able to carry the 
date back one year. From the records of the Presbytery 
of Philadelphia we learn that Francis McHenry, before 
leaving Ireland, married the eldest daughter of Hugh 
Wilson, who emigrated with his family and friends to 
America, and was among the first purchasers at Craig's 
Settlement in the Forks of the Delaware. 

McHenry appeared before the Presbytery November 
10th, 1737. He was licensed after examination and 
directed to supply Amwell, Bethlehem and other vacan- 
cies in Hunterdon County, N. J. The date of his preach- 
ing here is not given. Again, Hugh Carlisle, most prob- 
ably from Ireland, or Scotland, was admitted into the 
Presbytery of Newcastle in 1735. He joined the Pres- 
bytery of Philadelphia in 1736. He was called to New- 
town and Plumstead, in Bucks County, Pa., in 1737, but 
declined the call. He was sent by the Presbytery to sup- 
ply Amwell and Bethlehem, in Hunterdon County, N. J., 
with other vacancies. Which of these two men came first 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD g 

to our Church the records do not definitely state, but 
both were sent or ordered in November, 1737. Here 
again we have the Church, but not the date of its origin, 
but showing its existence 161 years ago. 

While unable to give that date definitely, we are war- 
ranted in placing it long previous to 1737. This, on pre- 
sumptive evidence. Presumption, it is true, is not history, 
but presumptive evidence may be so strong as to demand 
consideration. Such it is as to the earlier date for the 
origin of this Church. 

In the first place, the people were on the ground in 
sufficient numbers, and with character and religious ten- 
dency of such a degree as to make a church a necessity to 
their full enjoyment. In fact they left home and settled 
in America in order to secure for themselves church privi- 
leges to the full. What here they sought more than any- 
thing else was "freedom to worship God." It is wholly 
improbable that such a people would remain long without 
a church. 

This is confirmed by a writer belonging to the Episco- 
pal Church, who, speaking of Amwell and Hopewell as 
early as 17 18, regrets the presence of so many Dissenters 
in this part of the Colony. The Episcopal Church of 
Amwell, St. Andrews, was situated near the present vil- 
lage of Ringoes, where the old academy now is. It was 
in existence as early as 1725, having been organized under 
a charter granted by the Crown, by a Missionary of the 
"Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign 
Parts." Because of this royal favor, and the bigotry of 
Lord Cornbury, the Episcopal Church was founded at 
this early day, but by its own testimony had the masses 



io AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

of the people against it. Such testimony is of great value. 
Thirdly, Nevin in his History of the Presbytery of Phil- 
adelphia, page 104, states that Robert Orr, a probationer 
from Ireland or Scotland, having preached sometime for 
the churches at Maidenhead (Lawrence) and Hopewell 
(Pennington), presented his credentials to Presbytery in 
1 715. They were approved, and a call being presented 
by Phillip Ring, he was ordained at Maidenhead October 
20th, 1 7 15. "His field," says the historian, "embraced 
the ground covered by Lawrence, Pennington, Trenton 
First Church, which is Ewing, Trenton City, Titusville, 
and perhaps Amwell." 

Dr. Sprague, in "Annals of the American Pulpit/' 
contends that it is highly probable that Orr preached at 
Amwell. Webster, in his History of the Presbyterian 
Church in America, also maintains that Orr preached at 
Amwell during his pastorate from 1715 to 171 9. When 
we remember Mr. Webster's great diligence in searching 
the early records of the Church, his testimony adds much 
weight to the reasons given for believing in this early date 
for the existence of the Amwell Church. But taking 
either date, that of 1737, where we have solid ground 
from the mention of the Church in the Minutes of the 
Presbytery of Philadelphia, or the presumptive date ot 
1 7 18, at which time the Dissenters of Amwell are men- 
tioned by the Episcopal writer, or 171 5, under Orr's min- 
istry, the Church comes into existence amid events ot 
great, historic interest, and may rightfully claim a place 
with "the beginnings of things" in this country. 

Let us note things ecclesiastical. The first Presbytery 
was formed in 1705 or 6. The first Synod was formed 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD n 

out of the four Presbyteries, in 17 17. The Adoptive Act 
was passed in 1729. By this act the Westminster Stand- 
ards, Confession of Faith and Catechisms were made the 
doctrinal standards of the Presbyterian Church in Amer- 
ica. Simple as the record of this event is in the minutes, 
there never has been an act passed by what is now the 
Great Presbyterian Church in the United States of Amer- 
ica so far reaching and salutary as that which received 
"the Westminster Standards as containing the System ot 
doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures," or to give the 
exact language of the members of Synod, which "declared 
these Standards to be the Confession of their Faith.'* 
And, again, it is certainly a distinguished honor, at this 
day, to have been a charter member of the Presbytery ot 
New Brunswick at its formation in 1738. This Church 
likewise has the honor of having been identified with the 
"beginnings of things" of historic interest in the State. 
Hunterdon County was set off from Burlington, March 
nth, 1 7 13, only a year before the death of Queen Ann, 
and was named after Brigadier-General Robert Hunter, 
who was Governor-General of the Provinces of New York 
and New Jersey at the time. 

Hunterdon County then extended south to the Assan- 
pink, and Trenton was the county seat. It contained the 
territory now embraced in Morris, Sussex, Warren and 
most of Mercer, as well as the present territory of Hun- 
terdon. The boundary lines of the county on the north 
and northeast were fixed in 1738. Mercer was set off a 
century later. But it thus appears that the history of this 
Church and of the county run in nearly parallel lines. 

From its origin until 1728 the county was deprived of 



12 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

representation in the General Assembly of the Colony. 
This privilege had been suspended by Queen Ann "until 
her Majesty's royal pleasure was further known." In 
1728 King George declared it to be "his royal pleasure" 
"that Hunterdon County should, in the future, have two 
representatives." 

At that time John Reading, a member of this congrega- 
tion, assuming that the Church had an existence at that 
date, was a member of the Council of the Province of 
New Jersey, having been appointed to the office in 1720. 
His interests would lead him to co-operate with the repre- 
sentatives of the county for its welfare and advancement. 

From 1689 to 1702 the proprietors of the Colony of 
New Jersey were vexed and distracted by the many rival 
claimants for the Government. Wearied by this political 
intrigue, these proprietors surrendered their rights of civil 
jurisdiction to the Crown, retaining only ownership to 
the soil. Thereupon the Colony was accepted by her 
Majesty, Queen Anne, and united to that of New York, 
with Edward Hyde, known as Lord Cornbury, Governor 
of both Colonies.* Cornbury was a most unworthy Gov- 
ernor. The colonists found themselves in a worse state 
than before. They complained of the Governor to the 
Queen. They described him as "trifling, mean and ex- 
travagant." 

On this complaint the Queen removed him. He was 
succeeded by eight others from the time of his removal 
until 1738. The colonists wearied of their union with 



*Smith's New Jersey, p. 218, and Ridpath's History of 
United States, p. 208. 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 13 

New York, by which they were overshadowed, and, be- 
cause of her larger numbers and influence, that Colony 
received the greater part of the Governor's attention. 
From 1728 to 1738, petition followed petition on the part 
of the Assembly for a separate Governor for New Jersey. 
It is evident that the Ciuncillors united with the Assem- 
bly in this petition, from the fact stated that they united 
with them "in most hearty and sincere thanks to his 
Majesty, George the Second, for having, at their earnest 
Petition, appointed a Person to govern this Province 
Solely." This "Address" was signed "by order of the 
Council." 

John Hamilton, Spr. 
And by order of the House of Representatives. 

Joseph Bennet, Spr. 
[New Jersey Archives, Series VI, p. 58.] 
Of that Council John Reading was an honored mem- 
ber, and had been since 1720. He was also at that time 
a member of this congregation. We have then these twt» 
interesting facts, viz., that in the year 1738, in which this 
Church was received as a corporate member of the Pres- 
bytery of New Brunswick, a commission arrived, appoint- 
ing Lewis Morris Governor of New Jersey, and separa- 
ting the Colony in its government from that of New 
York. Here, again, this Church and the State, with Mr. 
Reading connected with both, move forward on synchron- 
ous lines to that common date, 1738, when, under a new 
administration they were better fitted for their respective 
spheres of usefulness. Who were the people of the Church 
at that early period? While this inquiry cannot be fully 
answered, there are some very important facts to gratify 



H AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

us, gathered from the memorial stones in our cemetery 
and from family records. 

There are families in the Church at the present time 
whose ancestors reach back to her earliest days, and 
whose first records are on these tombstone memorials. 
We have with us other families with such memorials 
going back to nearly the same date, and when we examine 
the plots we find near these graves others unmarked and 
undated, but bearing evidence of being older graves, and 
hence showing that these families have also been on the 
ground from the earliest days of the Church. Then 
again there are many old graves marked with names no 
longer represented on the Church records. 

Among the oldest graves in our cemetery we mention 
the following: Jacob Mattison, died December 7th, 1804, 
aged 95 years. Ann, wife of Jacob Mattison, died June 
30th, 1 76 1, aged 52 years, 5 months, which makes the birth 
of both in 1709. Joseph Mattison, died August 26th. 
J 745> a S e d 34> a °d Ann Bishop, wife of Joseph Matti- 
son, died May, 1748, aged 31 years. The Mattison 
family furnished several men for the Army of the Revo- 
lution. One of these was the ancestor of Mrs. Van Fleet, 
widow of the late Vice-Chancellor Van Fleet. The Hoag- 
lands are one of our oldest families, of which Jacob 
Hoagland is still with us as a member of the Church. 
John Hoagland, born 1761, and died 1842, aged 81 years. 
Derrick Hoagland was the first representative of the 
Church in Presbytery, of whom we have any record. He 
heads the list of elders of the Church, and was commis- 
sioner to Presbytery at Bound Brook May 30th, 1753. 
He was a prominent man in the affairs of the township 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 15 

during that early period. John Brown, a native of Bris- 
tol, England, born 1721, died March, 1797, aged 76 
years. Garret Schenck, born 1716 or 171 9, died 1791. 
His wife, Mary, born 1720, died 1778. William Schenck, 
born 1727, and died 1806, aged 79 years. Captain John 
Schenck, born 1750, and died 1823, aged 73 years. See 
Appendix 2, p. 284. Another member of this family is 
Captain Garret Schenck, born 1782, and died 1858, aged 
76 years. Up to a very recent date the Schencks were 
numerous on the rolls of this Church. At present the 
family is represented by only one family, viz., Mr. Rhut- 
son Schenck, and his wife. 

The grave of Aaron Van Doren is found in the ceme- 
tery. He was born April 8th, 1730, and died September 
30th, 1792, which dates make him to have been one of the 
old families of this congregation, but the family is no 
longer represented among us. The same is true of Jacob 
Kershaw. He was born 1744, and died 18 18, seventy- 
four years of age. He is the representative of a large 
family here in the early days of the Church, but is no 
longer found among our people. 

THE CASE FAMILY. 

Subsequent records will make frequent mention of the 
Cases. Dr. Mott, in his valuable history of the Presby- 
terian Church of Flemington, says: John Philip Case 
came to this country from Germany in 1738, and pur- 
chased from Penn a tract of land on which he built the 
first house in the neighborhood of Flemington. The date 
is slightly in error, both for the arrival of the family and 
the purchase. 



1 6 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

Chambers, in his history of the Germans in Hunterdon 
County, places the arrival of the Cases in 1730. And I 
have in my possession a deed conveying a tract of land 
from the same Penn plantation to one William Anderson 
in the year 1737. The deed describes Anderson's pur- 
chase as joining lands of one Philip Kase. The convey- 
ance was made by Thomas Penn, for himself and his 
brothers, John and Richard. The signatures were taken 
March 1st, 1737, by John Reading, "one of his Majesty's 
Commissioners." This document has additional interest 
because it bears the signature of John Reading, as well as 
that of Thomas Penn. The Cases have been connected 
with the Church all through its history. Several families 
of this name are now in the congregation, although Mrs. 
Martin Bellis and Mrs. Robert Smith, daughters of 
Lewis Case, are the only communicant members of the 
Church at the present time. 

The family was represented by Jacob Case, born Au- 
gust nth, 1765, and died January 4th, 1850, and John 
L. Case, born January 24th, 1806, and died September 
23d, 1883, and more recently by Mr. Lewis Case, who, 
during my pastorate, moved to Flemington. At different 
periods the family has rendered efficient service to the 
Church. 

THE HOLCOMBES. 

Another of our old families is that of the Holcombes. 

John Holcombe, of Abington, Pa., purchased a tract 
of land November 16th, 1705, of one Richard Wilson. 
This land, then a wilderness, is now covered in part by 
the borough of Lambertville. At that time the name for 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 17 

the village was Corryell's Ferry. In 1724 John Hol- 
combe was appointed one of the freeholders for Amwell 
township. In 1725 he was collector. In 1726 he was 
again freeholder, showing him to have been a man of 
affairs in the early days of the township. 

John Holcombe bequeathed to his son Richard the farm 
he bought of John Ways. It was situated just north of 
the borough. Richard served in the Revolutionary War. 
He also entertained General Washington in the stone 
house erected by his father on the farm just mentioned. 
This was just before the battle of Trenton. The early 
Holcombes were Quakers. Tradition says they came 
from Devonshire, England, and not long after the arrival 
of William Penn. 

From John Holcombe are descended all the Holcombes 
in this part of New Jersey. During the early days of 
this Church Lambertville was a part of the congregation. 

Richard Holcombe and Hannah Emley, his wife, were 
the parents of Miss Ann Holcombe, who became the wife 
of Furman Romine, grandfather of Charles Romine, and 
great-great-grandfather of Dr. George L. Romine, of 
Lambertville, with whom Mrs. John Emiley Holcombe 
is connected. I may add to this Mrs. Holcombe was 
Miss Emma A. Skillman. 

The Church at Mount Airy, or Amwell II, was organ- 
ized in 1754, by our first pastor, Rev. Eliah Byram. 

The Church at Lambertville was organized much later. 
Both of these Churches contain families originally con- 
nected with our Church. 

The Holcombes have long been prominent in this 

Mother Church, also in these two Churches of later date. 
2 



1 8 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Trustee Peter Q. Holcombe and his brother, Deacon 
John Emiley Holcombe, are son of John Holcombe, an 
honored elder and Sabbath School Superintendent of our 
Church. And the late esteemed Mrs. Caleb F. Quick, 
and Mrs. John Quick, both very active and useful mem- 
bers of this Church, were members of the Holcombe 
family. 

THE CORYELLS. 

The Coryells, an old family of Lambertville, were in 
this Church during its early history. After the Revoca- 
tion of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 they came to this 
country, landing at Perth Amboy. They settled soon 
after that near Dunellen and Newmarket. Their church 
connection was with the First Reformed Church, of Som- 
erville, where many of their children were baptized. In 
1732 John Emanuel Coryell came to Amwell and pur- 
chased a large tract of land, on part of which Lambert- 
ville is located. He made other purchases in 1737. In 
1743 his name appears as one of the witnesses to the will 
of John Holcombe. In 1748 he is named among the 
managers of the "Amwell Lottery, gotten up to raise 
funds to finish the Presbyterian Church, and to purchase 
a parsonage." At that time the family had control of the 
ferry at Lambertville, which connected the king's high- 
way from Philadelphia to New York. This family had 
the honor of aiding Washington crossing the Delaware 
and in preparation for the movement on the Hessians at 
the battle of Trenton. 

After the organization of Amwell II Church at Mount 
Airy, the Coryells were in connection with that Church 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 19 

and so continued, as did many of the Holcombes, until 
the organization of the Church at Lambertville in 1822. 
From that time onward the Coryells have been identified 
with the Lambertville Church. 

THE STOUTS. 

The Stouts, said to be one of the largest families in the 
United States, have been identified with the Church 
throughout its entire history, and they may be found to- 
day in nearly every department of human industry and in 
almost every section of the country. On the subscription 
paper of February, 1753, we not only have the names of 
James and Jonathan Stout among the subscribers, but 
James Stout is one of the four persons named in that 
paper for receiving the subscriptions. This paper is our 
oldest written document. 

The name occurs in many, if not all the subscription 
papers of the Church during that century. Because of 
the vast numbers of the family it will be impossible to 
give anything approaching a record of it in this history. 
But because of its early connection with the Church and 
intermarriage with a large number of its families, we 
must repeat a few of its widely known facts of the fam- 
ily's history. A history of the family was printed at the 
Herald office, Hopewell, N. J., in 1878, which was writ- 
ten in 1823. This part of the history has since been en- 
larged, and the whole referred to, or copied in part by 
subsequent writers. The first of the name in America 
was Richard Stout, who was born in Notinghamshire, 
England, and was the son of John Stout. Richard, when 
quite young, left home and went aboard a war vessel 



20 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

and served in the British navy for seven years. He got 
his discharge from this service at New Amsterdam, now 
New York. 

At or near the same time a ship left Amsterdam, in 
Holland, for New Amsterdam. She was driven by the 
wind out of her course, and landed near Middletown, 
Monmouth County, N. J. The vessel was freighted with 
passengers, who with great difficulty reached the shore. 
Here they were met with hostile Indians, who murdered 
or thought they had, all who landed. One woman, Pene- 
lope Van Princes, whose husband had been killed by the 
Indians, regained consciousness after the Indians had 
gone away. She crawled to a place of hiding, where, 
after she remained for a short time, she was found by an 
Indian of a friendly disposition, who cared for her until 
she recovered from her wounds. Then he took her in his 
canoe to New Amsterdam and sold her to the Dutch. 
Legendary as this appears, this narrative is considered 
genuine history by the Stouts themselves. The man Stout 
of whom we have spoken and this widow Van Princes 
became acquainted in New Amsterdam, were married, 
and soon after went to Middletown, where Penelope had 
lost her first husband. This was in 1648. At that time 
there were but six families in the settlement, including 
themselves. From this couple we have the Stouts of this 
country. 

As I have said you will find them on almost every 
record of our Church's history. Their name is found in 
the old cemetery of the Church. They will be found on 
the roster of the Army of the Revolution. You will meet 
with it to-day in the different communities to which you 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 21 

may go. We shall meet them in subsequent parts of our 
history and find them in places of usefulness and honor. 

THE CHAMBERLAINS. 

Elder James Prall Chamberlain represents another of 
our old families. Also a cousin, Lewis Chamberlain. 
Elder Chamberlain was born December, 1825, and is the 
son of Lewis Chamberlain, born December 18, 1797, and 
died November 24th, 1830. He and Lewis first men- 
tioned are grandsons of Lewis Chamberlain, born 1749, 
and died January 15th, 1812. They are great-grandsons 
of Lewis and Leucretia Chamberlain. It is not known 
when this earliest Lewis was born, but he died about 
1762. A family record in existence says that Leucretia 
his wife, was born in 1709, and died in 18 12, making her 
103 years old. Another record, however, makes her age 
a trifle less than one hundred years. 

This family of the Chamberlins lived on lands now 
owned in part by the two Chamberlins first mentioned. 
The farm of Martin Hoffman, lying between the two, is 
also a part of the original tract. Subsequent history will 
speak of the official relation of James P. Chamberlin to 
this Church. 

THE HILLS. 

The Hill family, well represented in the Church at the 
present time, appears on our earliest records. 

On the subscription paper of 1753 we have the names 
of Jonathan and Samuel Hill. The names occur in the 
same order on papers of a later date. As the name of 
Jonathan disappears, the name of Isaac occurs and con- 



22 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

tinues down to 1789, when we have the name of Richard. 
We have no family record to assure us that Jonathan 
was the father of Samuel. They may have been brothers, 
but more probably it was father and son, as Samuel is 
believed to be the father of Isaac, because in each case 
they stand in the same order. Up to 1789 Samuel and 
Isaac are found on the subscription papers of the Church 
giving liberally for its support. 

Isaac Hill was the father of Joakim, the maker of the 
old fashioned eight day brass clock, still highly prized by 
those fortunate enough to possess one. In 1791 Isaac 
and Samuel joined in the movement to establish the Pres- 
byterian Church at Flemington. After this they became 
useful members of that congregation, Samuel being for 
several years a trustee and Isaac an elder. Other sons of 
Isaac were William and Thomas. They remained with 
the congregation of the Mother Church. Thomas lived 
on the farm now owned by Whitefield Case. His chil- 
dren were Joseph, William, Theodore and Calvin, and 
Ara, wife of Clinton Blackwell. Joseph resided on the 
homestead farm and his family attended, and some were 
members of the Church during my pastorate. His son, 
George, was one of our active trustees. William was 
himself a member of the Church and also several mem- 
bers of his family. 

It should be said in honor of the abiding consistency 
of his esteemed wife that according to a concurrent opinion 
of friends and neighbors, Mrs. William Hill exerted the 
influence more than any other that led her husband and 
several of her children to follow her example in the ser- 
vice of the Saviour. Of these, Ira and Miss Bessie, united 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 23 

with the Church during my pastorate, and later I was 
called upon to perform the funeral services for both 
Joseph and William. And what was more sad, after re- 
tiring from the pastorate, to render the same service for 
Ira, who became entangled in the machinery of the mill 
and was killed. Bessie, after serving the Church many 
years during my pastorate and afterwards as organist and 
leader of the choir, died early in life, "her sun going down 
while it was yet day," and I was called to officiate at her 
funeral. Alvin, son of William, became an elder of the 
Church, an office for which he was well fitted. 

Ara (Mrs. Blackwell), was one of our most faithful 
Christian women, ready at all times to serve the Church 
and the Master in the cause of missions, in whatever her 
hand found to do. And, again, for her, the funeral service 
was rendered after I had left the Church. So we meet 
"at the closing scene," and say farewell "until we meet be- 
yond the river." 

THE SUTPHINS. 

Deacon Lewis Sutphin, with his wife and children, 
are members of one of the original families of this Church. 
They are represented throughout the entire history of 
the Church. Members of the family are found on the 
Church's oldest document. They can be traced back as 
follows: The Sutphins, or Zutphens, may still be found 
at Zutphen, a town and fortress on the Yssel in Holland. 
There the Zutphens of Holland can trace back their 
family record for a thousand years, and even before this, 
to Denmark, whence they came with the "Northmen" to 
Holland. 



24 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Derick, or Direk Janse Van Zutphen, married Lysbeth 
Van Nuys, stepdaughter of Aneke Janse Van Nuys. Her 
real name was Lisbeth Janse Jacobs. 

Derick Janse and his wife came to America and settled 
at New Amsterdam, Long Island, in 1651. Their chil- 
dren were Jacob, born 1684, John, born 1686, Derick, 
in 1688, and Guisbert, in 1690. That part of the family 
at present connected with the Amwell Church trace back 
to Jacob. Jacob married Engethe Bennet, and in 17 17 
moved to Freehold, Monmouth County, N. J. Among 
the children of Jacob was his son, John, born 171 1, who 
died 1784. John married Penelope Stout, daughter of 
John Stout, and granddaughter of the John Stout who 
was the son of Richard Stout and Penelope Van Princes, 
his wife, whose tragic history has been given. These per- 
sons were married in 1648. 

The son of this John Sutphin was Derick, born July 
14, 1743, and died 1831. Derick, or more probably his 
father, John, while Derick was yet very young, moved 
from Monmouth to Hunterdon County and settled in 
Amwell Township. He married Ann Chamberlain in 
1767. The ceremony took place in the Amwell First 
Church and was performed by Rev. William Kirkpatrick, 
third pastor of the Church. This is the only marriage in 
the Church up to this time of which we have record. 

Among the children of Derick Sutphin and Ann 
Chamberlain was Arthur, born March 20th, 1785, who 
died January 28th, i860. Arthur Sutphin married Mary 
Cox. One of their children was Deacon Lewis Sutphin, 
who was born June 3d, 1829. The death of Lewis Sut- 
phin July 2d, 1898, will be more fully noticed in its 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 25 

proper place. Lewis Sutphin married Ann Waldron, 
who was born January 23d, 1842. She was a daughter 
of Samuel Waldron, born August 6th, 1808, and grand- 
daughter of Jerome Waldron, born November 1st, 1760. 
His son, William, was an elder in this Church. To this 
brief sketch, tracing an officer in this Church, should be 
added that members of the Sutphin family also settled in 
Somerset County. From this branch have sprung some 
very prominent men, among whom was Rev. Morris Sut- 
phen, D. D., who was with me in Princeton College and 
Seminary, and who occupied some of our leading pulpits. 
His son, Dr. Paul Sutphen, of Cleveland, Ohio, is fol- 
lowing well in the footsteps of his honored father. An- 
other of this branch is the celebrated oculist, Dr. Sutphen, 
of Newark, N. J. Jacob Sutphen moved from Somerset 
County to Amwell about 1700, and settled along the 
Neshanic, on the farm now owned by Robert Cain. 

On the old subscription paper of 1753 we have the 
names as written by themselves of Jacob Sutphen and 
Derick Sutfin. Many others of the name are settled in 
nearby places, but they do not have a record in these 
pages. 

THE GRIGGS FAMILY. 

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Griggs and their daughters, 
Belle and Nellie, all church members, together with 
younger children not members of the Church, represent 
another of our old families. With this family there have 
been periods of interruption, but during the first forty or 
fifty years of the Church's history, they were very active 
in all its undertakings. During these years their record 



26 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

is similar to that of the family of the Hills, of which we 
have just spoken. In proceeding with the record of this 
family, I have the satisfaction of obtaining a part of my 
statement from two members of the family, viz., Mr. 
Samuel Griggs of the Church and a Miss Griggs, of 
Flemington, whose independent accounts are in full 
accord. 

Samuel Griggs is the son of Aaron, the grandson of 
Samuel, and the great-grandson of Joakim Griggs. Sam- 
uel, of our Church, had two uncles, Daniel and John. 
The Griggs' home, that is, where Samuel the elder lived, 
was on the farm, a mile and a half east of Flemington, or 
between Flemington and Reaville, where Mr. Theodore 
Hill now resides. There is a family burying ground on 
this farm. During the lifetime of the elder Samuel, the 
family became identified with the Church at Flemington, 
in fact were instrumental in its organization. As Dr. 
Mott had needed to refer to the records of Amwell in 
writing the history of the Flemington Church, so, to 
complete our record, we must refer to the history of the 
Church at Flemington. 

From Dr. Mott's history we learn that Daniel Griggs 
united on confession with the Church at Flemington in 
1816, while a "Mrs. Griggs" is found on a list of mem- 
bers in 1 8 10, previous to which date the records of Session 
of the Flemington Church had not been regularly kept. 
Also that John Griggs and Mrs. Catharine Griggs united 
in 1834, anQl Aaron Griggs and Margaret Griggs in 1838. 
In the same record we find that John Griggs was ordained 
an elder in 1838, holding the office until his death in 1872. 

I was personally acquainted with Elder John Griggs, 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 27 

as during the early forties he moved to Frenchtown and 
resided there for one or two years. This was at the time 
when the Sabbath School in Frenchtown had just been 
organized by a governess in the family of Louis M. 
Prevost, Esq. Sometimes Mr. Griggs, and at other times 
my father, would come to the Sabbath School and open 
it with prayer, a service much appreciated by all. 

In the same history Samuel Griggs, the grandfather, is 
named among the trustees of the Flemington Church in 
1 8 14, 17, 21 and 25. At some date in this period not 
known by my informant, Daniel Griggs moved to Sussex 
County "and settled on a tract of land belonging to the 
family." Here, the Hon. John W. Griggs, the most dis- 
tinguished member of the family, grew to manhood. It is 
well known that he was elected Governor of New Jersey 
and that during his term of office he was appointed Attor- 
ney General by President McKinley. He discharged the 
duties of the high office with credit to himself and to the 
satisfaction of his superior, to whose regret he left the 
cabinet that he might resume the practice of law. So if 
not in one of her sons, yet in one of her grandsons, the 
Church is honored, by having a representative in the high- 
est councils of the nation, as also another Governor 
of the State. In many particulars we have gone 
beyond the information furnished by members of 
this family. But many facts remain to be mentioned. A 
paper was circulated, bearing date June 23d, 1791, stating 
why it was desirable to form a Presbyterian Church in 
Flemington. This petition was circulated with the 
known purpose of presenting it to the Presbytery of New 
Brunswick. 



28 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

The first name on this petition is that of John Griggs. 
It also contains the name of Samuel Griggs and Joakim 
Griggs. Documents in our possession show that these 
persons all resided in what was popularly known as the 
"North Side," meaning north of Neshanic, the latter two 
being identified with the farm east of Flemington. A 
comparison of the dates here given shows a period of 
eighty-one years between the death of Elder John Griggs 
and the signing of this petition, which makes it plain that 
the John Griggs here signing is not Elder John Griggs. 
But the members of the family, to whom I am indebted 
for the relation of the different members of the family 
above given, knew nothing of this John Griggs. But 
from salary lists and other subscription papers, and a list 
of pew holders in the Amwell Church, some additional 
information may be obtained and also another name. On 
a salary list dated April 23d, 1779, there are many sub- 
scriptions of produce as well as money. Of this we shall 
speak at the proper time, but now to add to our history of 
the family under consideration. 

One of the subscriptions is that of Thomas Reading, 
who delivered two and one-half bushels of corn at the 
mill of John Griggs for Rev. Mr. Warford. And Charles 
Reading delivered one and one-half bushels of wheat at 
the same mill for Mr. Warford also. And be it remem- 
bered, in passing, that these two persons were among the 
prominent and active members of the Church at the time. 

In 1784 a subscription paper was circulated in order 
to raise funds for erecting a new meeting house in place 
of the two existing under the pastoral charge of Mr. 
Warford. This was one of several attempts made to get 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 29 

the Church nearer to the people in and about Flemington. 
Though liberal subscriptions were made, the object failed, 
and among the subscribers we have the names of John 
and Joakim Griggs. A little presumption may be in- 
dulged in here in two respects. First, that the mill of 
John Griggs was on the South Branch near the home of 
the Readings or near Flemington Junction. Second, that 
John and Joakim Griggs were father and son, or, if not, 
then brothers. Either relationship would be possible with 
dates given, and others yet to be produced. But it is 
evident that Joakim and Samuel Griggs were more deeply 
interested in the Amwell First Church than this John 
Griggs. As already noticed their names and that of John 
were on the petition of 1791, asking for the formation of 
a Church at Flemington. At the time evidently the two 
mentioned were members of the Amwell Church, but it 
is not so clear about this John. They were regular sup- 
porters of that Church, both being on the subscription 
papers from 1779 — the earliest one preserved up to 1791 
— and on that to pay supplies for 89 to 91, as at this period 
there was no pastor. There is preserved one list of pews 
in the Amwell Church located and numbered. In the pew 
"southeast" of the pulpit No. 2, Joakim Griggs has "2" 
(presumably sittings) and Samuel Griggs has "2." 

Earlier yet, we have the name of Daniel Griggs on the 
subscription of 1753 — our oldest Church document in 
existence. The purpose of this subscription was to pro- 
cure a parsonage. 

It will be perceived from the above that we have a 
Daniel Griggs and a John Griggs, not included in our 
information derived from members of the family. That 



3 o AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

these two persons belong to an earlier generation, or to 
two generations in the same family, is very probable. 
Evidence for this is their interest in the same Church, 
and especially the recurrence of the same Christian name 
in later generations. The date of 1753 would allow this 
Daniel Griggs to have been the father of John Griggs 
of 1779 and 1785, and grandfather of Joakim, providing 
he was an old man at the time; or this John and Joakim 
may have been brothers or cousins. Be that as it may, 
we find the names, presumably of one family, on record 
from 1753 to the end of the century. And we find the 
names of the same family at the present time. There is 
evidence of devotion to the interests of Church all through 
her earlier history and we have decided evidence of the 
same interest on the part of this family in all departments 
of the Church's claims to-day. 

Note. — The above statements of this family, as well 
as similar ones of some of the other families, are here 
recorded as important facts in this history, although they 
are not as clearly digested as we wish had been the case. 
But they are gathered from perishable papers, not easily 
accessible to any who may be personally interested, and 
here inserted for their preservation. 

THE HENRYS. 

Another family on the ground in the early days of the 
Church's history is that of Michael Henry. Although 
the name has not appeared on our records for many years, 
Mr. Henry deserves a place in this history as among the 
first members of the Church. In fact, his name stands 
second in the roll of our elders. And from the Minutes 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 31 

of the Presbytery of New Brunswick we have the inter- 
esting fact that at the first meeting of the Presbytery in 
Amwell, which was in the second year of its organization, 
October nth, 1739, the Presbytery held its first session 
in the evening of that day at the house of Michael Henry. 

His name occurs again as one of the managers of a lot- 
tery held in 1749, for the purpose of raising funds to 
"finish the Presbyterian meeting house and to purchase a 
parsonage." We next have his name on that noted sub- 
scription paper of 1753, where we find Mr. Henry bear- 
ing his part in raising funds for that same parsonage. 
The name in his will, which is on record at Trenton, is 
spelled Henarie, and this spelling occurs on a duplicate of 
the subscription paper above mentioned. 

In 1756 Michael Henry is named in the records of the 
Presbytery, among the elders in attendance at that meet- 
ing. 

These facts have been long familiar to all who have 
had to do with the Amwell Church, and their importance 
gladly recognized in this history. Among the new facts 
more recently discovered was the burial place of Mr. 
Henry. To this is to be added the more interesting fact 
that Michael Henry is the ancestor of my friend and 
classmate, the Rev. J. Addison Henry, D. D., of Phila- 
delphia. The remains of Michael Henry are interred in 
a private burying plot, known as that of the Rowe family. 
What relation, if any, existed between the Rowe family 
and Mr. Henry, I have not been able to discover. The 
plot referred to is about twenty feet square, inclosed by a 
common fence, and is situated between the South Branch 
of the Raritan and the Flemington branch of the Central 



32 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Railroad of New Jersey. Its location is near the village 
of Three Bridges, Hunterdon County. Four members of 
the Rowe family are buried heTe, which are marked by a 
small granite obelisk. These are Jacob, who died Feb- 
ruary 15th, 1 85 1, Christopher, who died April 25th, 
x 833, aged 77 years, Ida, wife of Christopher, died Oc- 
tober 31st, 1839, a g e d 81 years, Abraham, son of Chris- 
topher and Ida, who died October 12th, 1790, aged 3 
years. The other two graves are those of Michael Henry 
and Jean, his wife. They are marked by small brown 
stone slabs bearing the inscriptions as follows: 

Here 

lie 

the Precious Remains 

of 

Michael Henry Who Died 

December 1760 Aged 77. 

The truly Pious Faithful, Loving Friend 

Who persevered in every Christian Virtue to the End. 

With other testimony to his worth. 

On another and similar slab we have: 

Here 

lie 

the Precious Remains 

of 

Jean Henry, wife of Michael Henry 

Who died June — 1761 aged 67 years. 

The accomplished Friend, } r e Christian, Mother, Wife, 

Shone with ye brightest Charms thro' all her Life. 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 33 

Quaint as are these inscriptions we look upon them with 
deep interest, as we recall the important places the sub- 
jects of them filled in the early Church. How that inter- 
est deepens as we trace back to them one of our grandest 
and most useful and honored ministers of the Gospel. 
More delightfully true is that to me. Since this minister, 
Dr. J. Addison Henry, and I sat together as students 
in college and seminary at Princeton for six precious years. 
And, again, while I was settled at Strasburg, Pa., meet- 
ing in the same Synod, and during which I was frequently 
made a welcome guest in his charming home, and some- 
times having the added pleasure of occupying his pulpit. 
A very rare instance of this fellowship came to me in later 
years, 1895, in the city of London, when the omnibus in 
which I was riding with Mrs. Kugler stopped and the 
passenger who entered was Dr. Henry. That the greet- 
ing was cordial need not be stated, and the more surpris- 
ing because neither of us knew of the other's presence in 
the city. 

As I am revising these pages this year, 1907, and add- 
ing here and there a newly discovered fact, there came to 
me yesterday, from Princeton Seminary, the record of her 
sons who died during the previous year. In this record 
of her honored dead is found the name of Dr. Henry. 

The leading facts of that record are already known by 

the Church. Briefly, they are these: Dr. Henry was born 

at Cranbury, N. J., October 28th, 1835. He graduated 

from Princeton College in 1857, an d from tne Seminary 

in i860. He was installed pastor of the Princeton 

Church, Philadelphia, June 5th, i860, and continued in 

charge of the same until his death, which occurred at 
3 



34 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Asbury Park, August 8th, 1906. He was honored with 
the degree of D. D. by Centre College, Kentucky, and 
Washington and Jefferson College, Pennsylvania. This 
latter college conferred on him the degree of LL.D. in 
1905, and he received the title of S. T. D. from the 
University of Pennsylvania in 1906 just before his death. 
He was Commissioner to the General Assembly seven 
times, and the General Assembly meeting in Buffalo in 
1904 elected him as her Moderator. He was also a trus- 
tee of Princeton University from 1883 until the time of 
his death, and one of the trustees of the General Assem- 
bly. The Church bestowed on him many other offices 
and honors, but none of these was held by him in higher 
esteem than that of pastor of the Princeton Church, which 
office he held, and whose duties, with love and faithful- 
ness, he discharged for the long period of forty-six years. 
During these years this Church grew under his nursing 
care and by the blessing of the Master from infancy to be 
a leading Church in strength, activity and influence. 
Naturally it is a matter of personal interest to me to 
know that this classmate is by descent a son of the Am- 
well First Church. His sister-in-law, Miss Steen, visited 
me in 1905 to get the facts of his ancestry as related above. 
Dr. Henry traces back to Amwell First as follows : He 
was the son of Rev. Symmes Cleves Henry, D. D., of 
Cranbury, and Catherine Rowley, his wife; the grandson 
of Colonel James Henry, of Lamington, N. J., and Abi- 
gail Woodruff McCrea, his wife; the great-grandson of 
David Henry and Mary Rosborough, his wife. David 
was born in 1728, probably at Amwell. He died Janu- 
ary, 1783, asd was buried at Lamington. J. Addison was 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 35 

the great-great-grandson of Michael Henry, and Jean, 
his wife. It may be noticed that the age given of Michael 
Henry carries his birth back to 1683, while the date of 
Dr. J. Addison's death in 1906 extends our record of the 
family to a period of 223 years, the greater part of which 
was passed in America. 

THE PRALLS. 

Of these old families no one has been more uniformly 
identified with the Church than the Pralls. They were 
here at the beginning and they are with us to-day. At 
present we have Deacon William Bellis Prall and his 
brother, Elder Abraham Prall. And at the one hun- 
dredth and sixtieth anniversary of the Church, 1898, they 
both had children on the roll of the Church, and William 
had grandchildren. Going back to the earliest known 
date of the family in America we give the record only so 
far as it concerns the ancestry of those connected with 
this Church. 

Arent or Aaron Praal owned land in Staten Island in 
1684. Peter Praal, a son of his, born date unknown, who 
died October 27th, 1748, was an assessor in Staten Island 
in 1702. He came to Amwell between 171 1 and 17 16. 
In 1 716, May 25th, he purchased 750 acres of land in 
Amwell. His son, Pieter Praal, born March 29th, 1700, 
and died May 1st, 1761, belonged to the last generation 
in which the German spelling of the name was practiced. 
His son, Abraham Prall, was born February 6th, 1723, 
and died June 9th, 18 12. Peter A., son of his, was born 
June 3d, 1 75 1, and died March 2d, 1829. 

The next generation we have Abraham again who was 



36 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

born November 2ist, 1770, and died June 21st, 1851. 
And his son, Abraham, born December 9th, 181 1, and 
died September 6th, 1843, was the father of William 
Bellis Prall, born April 10th, 1834, and his brother Abra- 
ham, one of our elders. William B. Prall died January 
26th, 1906. Of Pieter Praal born March 29th, 1700, 
we have the interesting fact that he gave the land for the 
old Church, and also for the cemetery within whose walls 
the old Church was situated. In this venerated spot 
sleep the dead of the Church and congregation for many 
generations. It contains the remains of many noble pa- 
triots of the revolution, and of many valiant soldiers of the 
Civil War. By this generous act of Pieter Praal, the 
family is closely identified w T ith the Church in all its sub- 
sequent history. 

William B. and Abraham Prall represent the sixth 
generation of the family in the Church from the time of 
that generous gift, and the eighth generation of the fam- 
ily in America. Remembering that these brothers have 
baptized grandchildren, we can say we have eight genera- 
tions of the family in the Church. This is truly a very 
interesting fact, and I am convinced, a very unusual one 
in American Church history. 

Members of this family may be found in many states 
of the Union. I met one of them in California at the 
Christian Endeavor Convention in San Francisco in 1897. 

A grand nephew of Pieter Praal the early benefactor of 
the Church was John Prall, born September 20th, 1756, 
and died September 21st, 1831. He married Amelia 
Coryell, of Lambertville. This John Prall built the mill 
at Prallsville above Centre Bridge, now T Stockton. He 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 37 

was a member of this Church when it stood on the 
hill, where his great uncle had given it a plot. And not- 
withstanding the distance of ten miles away, to this day 
the statement is remembered and repeated to his credit 
that he was noted for his regularity in attending the 
Church. He would be found in his place, almost without 
failure, both winter and summer. His remains and also 
those of his wife lie in our cemetery. I was impressed by 
the unique inscriptions on their tombstones and copied 
them, before I had learned the interesting fact just stated. 
They are as follows: 

John Prall — A Christian, a philanthropist and a pa- 
triot. 

The other is Amelia Prall — Sixty years a Christian. 
Records like these well authenticated are an honor to 
any Church. During my pastorate these brothers did very 
much to show the continued attachment of the family to 
the Church and their interest in its welfare. 

THE READING FAMILY. 

In a subordinate sense the families I have named, with 
others, wjhose record has passed out of sight, have con- 
stituted the "towers and bulwarks" of this Church for 
generations. It has seemed becoming that we should 
"mark them in our Walk About Zion." 

There is yet another name no longer represented among 
us, yet by common consent, holding, in the early days of 
the Church, the place of greatest prominence. The ref- 
erence is to John Reading. Mr. Reading was born June 
6th, 1686. It was my purpose, originally, to dwell at 
length upon the facts of his life. But I recently learned 



38 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

that Mr. J. Granville Leach, acting for Hon. Stephen B. 
Elkins,* is now publishing a fuller history of his life than 
I could possibly give, I, therefore, confine myself to the 
statement of only a few of the interesting facts of his 
life, and I do this both because of the fitness of such a 
record in the history of this Church, of which he was 
so important a part in the early period of its organization ; 
and I do it also to show how wide and beneficent the influ- 
ence of the small, and often lightly esteemed country 
Church may be. The father of John Reading was also 
John. He and his wife Elizabeth came to America some- 
time before 1683, and settled in Gloucester, N. J. Dr. 
Mott and Mr. Covley give his wife's name as Elizabeth. 
(The New Jersey Archives IV, page 62, say her name 
was Rebecca). He was a prominent man in our early 
colonial history. While at Gloucester he was Clerk, or 
Recorder of the county from 1683 to 1701. Archives 
IV, p. 62. We find him a member of the Council in 
1706, and again in 1707, (N. J. Archives III, pages 158 
and 221). He was nominated as a member of the Coun- 
cil again in May, 171 1, and confirmed in 17 13, and held 
the office until his death in 1717 (Archives IV, pages 62, 

171, 333). 

From what place in England he came, is not positively 
known, Mr. Leach asserts that it is almost certain that 
he came from London. He sent his children, John and 
Elsie, in charge of his wife, back to England for a better 
education than could be secured at that time in the col- 



*Senator Elkins is a descendant of Elsie, sister of Gov. 
Reading. 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 39 

ony. They remained nine years and then returned to 
America. The father, with two other persons was sent irt 
1730 to purchase the great tract of land of one hundred 
and fifty thousand acres between the Delaware and Rari- 
tan rivers. He also made extensive purchases of land 
for himself in Amwell, and about this time, 1703, removed 
to his estate at Howell's Ferry, now Stockton and Pralls- 
ville. He named his estate Mount Amwell." To Mr. 
Leach's contention that Mr. Reading the elder, came 
from London, I wish to say that my belief is, he or his an- 
cestors came from Amwell, a small village N. E. of Lon- 
don. Snell (Hist, of Hunt. Co., p. 346) says from 1709- 
14, Amwell was one of the three towns that constituted 
Burlington Co. Hunterdon was set off March 15th, 
1 7 13-14 making the Assunpink the southern boundary and 
Amwell was one of the four towns which lay to the north 
of it. So far as I have been able to discover, and I have 
the aid of one of the best authorities* on the State Archives, 
that there is no mention of the word Amwell previous to 
its use by the elder Reading to name his estate at Howell's 
Ferry." The custom of bringing names from home or fa- 
miliar places in the old home land to the new, leads me to 
the belief that this is the origin of the name, "Amwell." 

A uniform tradition up to the present time has asserted 
that he was a Quaker, and that at his death, in 1717, he 
was buried in the grounds of the Buckingham Meeting 
House, Bucks Co., Pa. Mr. Leach stoutly contests both 
of these traditions, adding "there is not a scintilla of evi- 
dence to show that he was a Quaker, but much to the con- 



*Mr. Frank Transue of Trenton. 



40 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

trary. In the first place he is never alligned with the 
Quakers, when they dissent from any action on the part 
of their fellow citizens." I can confirm this contention 
from personal examination of the State Archives. Second- 
ly, he bears military title, as Captain and Colonel, which 
a Quaker did not. But there is no question about the 
more important fact to us "that the son, John, during his 
stay in England, became a Presbyterian, to which Church 
he was warmly attached until the time of his death" (Dr. 
Mott's First Cent, of Hunterdon Co.). He was a most 
liberal supporter of the Amwell First Church, as the 
meagre documents and subscription lists fully show. 

He, like his father, was a surveyor. He was one of the 
Commissioners appointed to run the State line between 
New York and New Jersey, July 25th, 17 19, Archives 
IV, page 394. 

As a surveyor, he became acquainted with the rich 
lands in the Amwell Valley. He had formerly surveyed 
tracts in this valley for parties in Burligton, who were 
locating lands here. 

He improved the opportunity afforded, and purchased 
for himself six hundred acres along the South Branch, a 
short distance from Flemington, where he subsequently 
built the Reading homestead. Governor Reading was 
noted for his fair dealing with the Indians, and in this 
way gained their confidence and high regard. He was 
trusted by them as truly as he was by the whites. He 
came thus to have frequent dealings with them, and was 
often employed for purchasing lands from these original 
owners. 

Mr. Reading was recommended by Governor Hunter 




SILVER CHALICE. 
Presented to Amwell Church by Governor John Reading, 1767. 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 41 

as a suitable person to be appointed a member of his 
Majesty's Council, November, 17 18, when he was only 
thirty-two years of age. The appointment was confirmed 
May 31st, 1720. Archives IV, p. 377. He held this 
office, under repeated appointments, until 1758, when he 
resigned on account of age and infirmity. Archives IX, 
127. He was Lieutenant Governor for two terms, and 
as the oldest Counselor became Governor, by virtue of this 
position on the death of Governor Hamilton in 1747, 
being the first native born Jerseyman to govern the prov- 
ince. 

Again, on the death of Governor Belcher in August, 
1757, he was Governor for the second time, holding the 
office until the arrival of Governor Bernard in June, 1758. 

His name heads the list of the trustees of Princeton 
College, under the new and more liberal charter granted 
by Governor Belcher in 1748, when the college was trans- 
ferred from Elizabeth to Newark. 

"His influence, services and money were freely be- 
stowed to lay the foundation of religious privileges, edu- 
cational advantages, and national freedom." — Mott. 

Mr. Reading married, November 30th, 1720, Mary, 
daughter of Yoris or George Ryerson, and Ann Schoute, 
his wife, of Pequenac, Passaic County, N. J. Governor 
Reading died November 5th, 1767, in the 81st year of 
his age, and is still "remembered for what he has done." 
Mrs. Reading died April 17th, 1774, aged 78 years. They 
are buried, as are many of their kindred, in the old Am- 
well burying ground, near to the spot where the old 
Church stood. Over the grave of the Governor and his 
wife was erected within a few years a monument of Quincy 



42 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

granite, by John G. Reading of Philadelphia, and Frank- 
lin Reading of Williamsport. The monument states that 
Mr. Reading's death occurred November ;th. But Mr. 
Leach discovered an obituary notice, printed at the time 
of his death, and almost certainly written by Rev. Wil- 
liam Kirkpatrick, pastor of the Church at the time, which 
says the death took place on the 5th of November. The 
closing paragraph of the obituary reads "He manifested 
an high regard to religion, and was a constant attendant 
on public worship ; was Catholic in his sentiments, and 
loved good men of every denomination of Christians.' ; 

While Governor Reading is gratefully remembered as. 
perhaps, the most liberal benefactor of this Church in its 
early days, there is no one gift of his that stands out so 
distinctly and awakens so much interest to-day as that 
which he made just before his death. 

In a codicil to his will added October 29th. 1767. only 
one week before his death, we have the statement. 

li I give also the sum of ten pound proclamation money 
towards the making of a silver chalice, or such other need- 
ful Church utensil for the use of the Eastern part of the 
Presbyterian congregation in the township of Amwell in 
the administration of the Lord's Supper."' These cups 
are of heavy hammered silver, and still in a perfect state 
of preservation. On one of them, is the following in- 
scription : A Gift of the Honorable John Reading, Esq.. 
deceased, to the Eastern Presbyterian Congregation in 
Amwell, 1767. They came into use during the pastorate 
of the Rev. William Kirkpatrick to whose pen we ascribe 
the obituary notice of Mr. Reading, to which reference 
has been made. These cups are still in use in this Church, 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 43 

as they have been for one hundred and thirty-three years. 
There are, I am sure, few objects of deeper and more 
sacred interest, or more venerable with age, in the whole 
Presbyterian Church in America, than are these conse- 
crated vessels of the Sanctuary. They have passed through 
the hands of fifteen pastors of this Church, besides many 
who have supplied the pulpit, when the Church was with- 
out a pastor. Among these, was the venerable John 
Witherspoon, D. D., President of Princeton College who 
administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in this 
Church, June 21st, 1789. And now 1910 at the revision 
seventeen pastors and 145 years. Your parents and grand- 
parents to the third and fourth generation who now 
"asleep in Christ," have pressed them to their lips, and 
taken from them the consecrated wine. What a chain of 
tender associations between the living and the dead, do 
they suggest! How blessed to feel, as "we receive" from 
these sacred vessels that we are communing with our Lord, 
and with those who have gone to commune with Him in 
his Father's Kingdom. 

Was Governor Reading a communicant member of this 
Church? This question was asked by his biographer. 
We have no records in existence to which we can appeal 
for an answer. But it seems to me that these communion 
cups do give answer. They certainly testify to his appre- 
ciation of Christ's death for our redemption, and of the 
blessed Sacrament by which that death is commemorated. 
And whether a member of the Church or not, we have 
here an act of faith and devotion, that would adorn the 
profession of any Church member; which, with many oth- 
er acts of his, for the furtherance of the Church leads us 



44 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

to regard him as numbered with believers, who consti- 
tute the Church of Christ. 

The relation of Governor Reading to the Church and 
State seems to warrant me in adding a few statements con- 
cerning his family. 

To Governor and Mrs. Reading were born seven sons 
and three daughters. The children were all baptized in 
the Reading Reformed Church of which Mrs. Reading 
was a member at the time. 

John, born March 30th, 1722, died November, 1766. 
Anne, born in May or June, 1723, as inferred from her 
baptism July 21st, 1723. George, born February 26th, 
1725, died August, 1792. Daniel, born February 2nd, 
1727, died October, 1768. Joseph, born November 23rd, 
1730, died November, 1806. Elizabeth, born December 
or January, 1731. Richard, born December 8th, 1732. 
Thomas, born September 27th, 1734, died December, 
1814. Mary, born July (?), 1736. Sara, born Septem- 
ber (?), 1738. Samuel, born November 25th, 1741, 
died August, 1749. He and many of the family are buried 
in the cemetery near the grave of Governor Reading. You 
will notice that the date of the birth of the daughters is 
not given. It can only be inferred from the baptism. 

Judge James N. Reading, formerly a prominent lawyer 
in Flemington, was the son of Joseph and Eleanor Grand- 
in Reading, and a great-great-grandson of the Governor. 
Mrs. James N. Reading who died recently in Illinois, 
was Sara C, daughter of Isaac Southard. James N. 
Reading built the imposing residence in Flemington, now 
owned and occupied by Mrs. J. Newton Voorhees. Their 
children are now living in Morris, 111. Another son of 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 45 

Joseph and Eleanor Grandin Reading was Philip G. 
Reading, late of Frenchtown, N. J. 

Of Joseph Reading, born in Amwell, November 23, 
1730, it may be said he was the first judge of the Hunter- 
don County Orphans' Court. He was a member of the 
Governor's Council from 1 781-1783. He was a member 
and an elder of the Amwell Second Presbyterian Church, 
Mt. Airy, and frequently a delegate to Presbytery. He 
owned a plantation near Rosemont. The family bury- 
ing ground is at that place. He married Amy Pierson 
about 1754. 

While I have had but the slightest acquaintance with 
James N. Reading I was intimately acquainted with 
Philip G. Reading, also with their sister Mary Ann, 
who became the wife of William Hedges, of Somerville. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hedges came to Frenchtown about 
1840, and Philip Reading a short time afterward. Mr. 
Hedges was engaged in mercantile business, and later he 
and Philip G. Reading united in conducting the lumber 
business which they carried on for several years at French- 
town. Joseph, the oldest son of Philip, was a pupil of 
mine a few years later, when I was engaged in teach- 
ing, while preparing for college. 

This was in the early fifties, Mr. Reading and Mr. 
Hedges had both been associated with my father, Joseph 
Kugler, in establishing and sustaining the Presbyterian 
Church in that village. The first Church building was 
erected in 1845, and was used as a place of worship and 
for the Sabbath School, but was not organized as a Church 
until May 16, 1849. Of course many others were active 
helpers in building and sustaining the Church. 



46 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Elizabeth R., the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Hedges 
was also a pupil of mine. During my college days I met 
her socially at the residence of Governor Olden of Prince- 
ton. 

Previous to this, and in my boyhood, and early man- 
hood, I was often thrown in social relations with Mrs. 
Reading Hedges. She was a woman of culture and re- 
finement and I always have been thankful that in early 
life, I came under her influence. Mr. Reading also in- 
fluenced me in a way different from my old neighbors. 
There was a frankness of speech and manner about him 
in keeping with his manifest integrity, and the evident 
courage of his convictions that greatly helped me. Mr. 
Reading had several children, as Charles and James, mer- 
chants in French town, Charles having been once a member 
of the Senate. George, a physician in Southern, N. J. ; 
Philip in business in Philadelphia, and John a distin- 
guished lawyer at Williamsport, Pa. 

Having stated my indebtedness to Philip G. Reading 
during my boyhood, it will not be amiss I trust, to add 
another pleasant fact of my connection with this family. 
The only daughter of Mr. Reading, Miss Eva, I came to 
know in Clinton, N. J., where I am residing since retiring 
from the pastorate and am engaged in revising this his- 
tory. She is the wife of Hon. W. C. Gebhardt of the 
New Jersey Senate, and herself the distinguished presi- 
dent of the W. C. T. U. of Hunterdon Co., also active 
in Temperance, Sunday School and Church work. Here 
relations have been reversed, as I have had two of her 
daughters, the granddaughters of my old friend, Philip G. 
Reading under my instruction in the Sabbath School, and 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 47 

particularly in a Teacher-Training Class, in which, at 
graduation, they received along with one other, Miss 
Elizabeth Fox, by the bestowment of the State Superin- 
tendent of this department, the highest honors at his dis- 
posal. There are other descendants of the Reading fam- 
ily, residing in or near Clinton. Of these we men- 
tion Mr. John Stryker, son of Mrs. Theodosea Reading 
and Larison Stryker, also Nelson, the son of John Stryker, 
who with his wife are active workers in the Presbyterian 
Church of Clinton. 

Miss Elizabeth Grandin, daughter of Dr. John G., lives 
at the old Grandin homestead, and is a devoted student of 
Art. 

Then there are large groups of the family residing in 
and about Sergentsville, N. J., and others at Rosemont 
and along the Delaware. These cannot here be traced. 
As to my pupil, Miss Elizabeth Reading Hedges, I feel 
warranted in making additional statements, because this 
pupil of mine afterwards became the highly esteemed 
wife of one of your pastors, the Rev. John H. Scofield, 
but alas no longer living. It is gratifying to have with us 
to-day at our anniversary services, and also at the parson- 
age, her daughter, Miss Mary Scofield. And this interest 
is increased by the fact that the parsonage is the birthplace 
of Miss Scofield. 

As Miss Scofield is the only representative of the Read- 
ing family attending these services, we deem it fitting to 
trace her relation to the Governor. 

Mary Reading Scofield is the daughter of Rev. J. H. 
Scofield and Elizabeth R. Hedges, his wife ; granddaugh- 
ter of Mary Ann Reading and W. W. Hedges; great- 



48 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

granddaughter of Joseph Reading and Eleanor Grandin; 
great-great-granddaughter of Captain John Reading and 
Elizabeth Hankinson; great-great-great-granddaughter of 
John Reading and Isabella, daughter of William Mont- 
gomery* of Ayr, Scotland, and great-great-great-great- 
granddaughter of Governor John Reading and Mary, 
daughter of Yoris or George Ryerson, of Pequenac, Pas- 
saic Co., and his wife, Ann Schoute. This makes Miss 
Scofield of the seventh generation from Governor Read- 
ing. 

Captain John Reading in the above line styled "Valiant 
John" was ensign in the company commanded by his Un- 
cle Thomas, Second Lieut, in Captain Dougherty's Com- 
pany, and Jan. 1st, 1777, was made First Lieut, in Cap- 
tain Cox's Company same Batallion (Leach, page 55). 

Mrs. John H. Scofield was the second of the descend- 
ants of Governor Reading who has presided in the Am- 



*This William Montgomery, son of William, came in 
his ninth year, with his father to America. He settled in 
Upper Freehold, where he died in 1 771, aged 78 years. 
William, the elder son of Hugh, was the heir and owner 
of the property in Bridgewood about one mile from Ayr. 
He married Isabel, daughter, of Robt. Burnett, of the 
family of Gilbert Burnett, Bishop of Salsbury, and also 
one of the proprietors of East Jersey. Having lost much 
of his property, he moved in 1701 with his family to New 
Jersey, and settled on the lands of his father-in-law at a 
place to which he gave the name of Eglington, two miles 
from Allentown. The ancestry of this William traces 
back to Lord Hugh Montgomery, who in 1508, was cre- 
ated by James IV of Scotland, Earl of Eglington. (Early 
settlers of Trenton by Cooley, page 223). 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 49 

well parsonage. The other was Theodosia, daughter of 
Daniel, who married Rev. Thomas Grant, the fifth pas- 
tor of the Church. 

William Reading, a grandson of Daniel, attained the 
rank of Brigadier General in the regular army during the 
Mexican War. He was distinguished for gallantry in 
the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Molino 
del Rey in Mexico. Ann also daughter of Daniel, married 
Thomas Wood, an eminent lawyer of New Jersey, and 
afterward of New York. Another descendant, Anna Far- 
lee, became the wife of the late Augustus Richey, a dis- 
tinguished lawyer of Trenton. In early life, and up to 
manhood Mr. Richey resided in Asbury, N. J., and was 
connected with the Musconetcong Valley Presbyterian 
Church, of which I was for many years the pastor. These 
are but a few of the names which show how widely ex- 
tended the influence and widely scattered the members 
and children of this Church, who, when they sit down to 
tell the history of their own lives or families, must turn 
back to the Old Amwell First Church as the home of 
their ancestors. There was Major Pierson Reading, 
grandson of Joseph who went to California, when it was 
a wilderness, and before the discovery of gold there. He 
was there before Commodore Stockton's arrival, and in 
command of a division in Stockton's little army, partici- 
pated in the victories which won for our country that 
paradise of the Pacific coast. His children are still there, 
holding positions of influence and responsibility. I must 
not pass by Thomas, the youngest son of Governor, except- 
ing Samuel who died in childhood. Thomas died in 1814, 

in the 80th year of his age. It is claimed for him by Dr. 
4 



50 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Miller K. Reading, of Virginia, that he was by far the 
ablest and most active man in war. in Church and in 
State, of Governor Reading's sons. He was Captain of 
the 6th Company of the 3rd Battalion of the New Jer- 
sey Brigade. He was mustered into service in 1774. He 
took part in the operations before Quebec, in 1776, and 
continued in command until his regiment was mustered 
out in 1777. He was chosen Member of the Colonial 
Congress February 9th. 1770. He was a Trustee in our 
Church and our very meagre records of the time, show 
him to have been very active in measures for the Church's 
advancement. It is asserted that he was also a communi- 
cant member of the Church. .And while he naturaliy 
went with the Flemington Church at the time of its or- 
ganization, he was not only an active member there., but 
the first man to be ordained to the office of Ruling Elder 
in that Church. John, a grandson, entered the company 
of his Uncle Thomas. 

.Another grandson of the Governor, Thomas, was First 
Lieutenant in Captain Stout's Company of the Jersey 
Line. He was taken prisoner at Three Rivers. June 8th. 
1776. He became Captain February 5th. 1777. and Ma- 
jor of the First Regiment December 29. 1781, and served 
until the close of the war. Yet another. Charles, was 
Lieutenant of the Third Regiment, and afterward Cap- 
tain. 

Dr. Miller K. Reading, great-grandson of Thomas, re- 
siding in Aden. Va.. has shown much interest in the pub- 
lication of this history. He informs me that his grand- 
mother, wife of Joseph Reading, was a Miss Waldron, 
whose family at the time attended this Church, which 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 51 

enables us to place the Waldrons among the early wor- 
shippers at Amwell. This lengthy account of the Read- 
ings must admit of one more branch, in justice to the 
Church's record, as well as to the family. 

We have stated there were seven sons and three daugh- 
ters born to Governor and Mrs. Reading, 

"Woman is too much to the fore" in this day, to be 
left "unnamed, unhonored and unsung." 

The daughters were Ann, married to Rev. Charles 
Beatty. Mary, married to Rev. William Mills of Ja- 
maica, Long Island, and Elizabeth, married John Hack- 
ett, from whom Hackettstown takes its name. Of Ann 
only, and a few of her children we wish to speak. She 
was the second child of Governor Reading, having been 
born early in 1723. Her baptism took place at the Re- 
formed Church of Readington, July 21st, 1723. June 
24th, 1 746, Ann Reading was married to the Rev. Charles 
Beatty, Mr. Beatty was a graduate of the Log College 
at Neshaminy. 

The Rev. William Tennent was the able head of this 
school. Mr. Beatty came to this country from the North 
of Ireland. His mother was Christina, daughter of James 
Clinton. She was the sister of Charles Clinton, whose 
son, George, was successively General in the Army of 
the Revolution, Governor of New York and Vice-Pres- 
dent of the United States with Jefferson during his second 
term. This shows good blood for young Beatty. The Beattys 
were of Scotch-Irish descent, and of the Presbyterian 
faith. The elder Beatty having died, Mrs. Beatty and 
her four sons, accompanied her brother, Charles Clinton, 
to this country in 1729. Charles Beatty was then a lad of 



52 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

fifteen years. He undertook to support himself by sell- 
ing linen fabrics, and carried his goods, as was the cus- 
tom, on his back. In one of his excursions, as the tra- 
dition has given it to us, he approached Mr. Tennent, and 
addressed him in Latin, seeking to sell his goods. The 
result of the interview was that Mr. Tennent persuaded 
him to sell the goods on hand and return to the Log Col- 
lege and study for the ministry. Whether this is all true 
or not, it is given on the authority of Dr. Rodgers, and 
there is no doubt about his studying at the Log College 
and entering the ministry of the Presbyterian Church. He 
was licensed by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, Octo- 
ber 13th, 1742, adhering to his teacher, Mr. Tennent, in 
what was called the New Side. His license was one year 
after the division of the Synod. He was called to suc- 
ceed Mr. Tennent at the Forks of the Neshaminy, May 
26, 1743, and ordained and installed there on the 14th 
of December. Mr. Beatty possessed, in a large measure, 
the missionary spirit, and sympathized with the celebrated 
David Brainard, in his efforts to evangelize the Indians. 
He entertained Brainard at his house in 1745, when on a 
visit to confer with the Governor on business connected 
with his mission. In June of that year occurred a mem- 
orable communion, when Brainard on Mr. Beatty's invi- 
tation came to assist, and preached to a large audience of 
two or three thousand, and many were deeply affected. 
Mr. Beatty and Ann Reading were married as already 
stated, June 24th, 1746. In the fall of that year Mr. 
Brainard's health having failed, and he having decided 
to leave New Jersey, Mr. and Mrs. Beatty called to bid 
him farewell, to which Brainard refers in his journal "as 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 53 

unexpected, and refreshing to his Spirit." Mr. Beatty 's 
personal connection with this Church was not as pastor, 
but only as a supply. It was in this way the Church 
was served from its origin to 1751. Mr. Beatty was 
prominent among these supplies. In October Mr. Beatty 
was appointed by Presbytery "to supply Amwell one- 
quarter of his time, and Mr. James Campbell before our 
next." Again in 1748 and 1749, Mr. Beatty, Mr. Camp- 
bell, Mr. Allen and Mr. Chestnut are some of the sup- 
plies. During these years you will remember he was, by 
his marriage to Ann Reading, the son-in-law of the Gov- 
ernor, which perhaps had something to do with his fre- 
quent services of this kind. The children of Mr. and 
Mrs. Beatty were able, godly and influential. So from 
this Amwell girl, Ann Reading, wife of Charles Beatty, 
sprung men and women to benefit and bless both the 
State and the Church at large. 

One daughter, Mary, married the Rev. Enoch Green, 
a member of the Green family of Ewing and Trenton, 
who graduated at Princeton College and was pastor of 
the Presbyterian Church of Deerfield, N. J. He entered 
the Army of the Revolution in 1776, as Chaplain, con- 
tracted fever and died in December. 

But Mary lived until 1842. When she died in the 
ninety-sixth year of her age, and was buried in the grounds 
of the Presbyterian Church, corner of Fourth and Pine 
Streets, Philadelphia. Elizabeth, another daughter, mar- 
ried Rev. Philip Vicars Fithian. He, too, was a Presby- 
terian clergyman, and entered the army as Chaplain. He 
was at the battle of White Plains and soon after died from 
exposure in camp. Their son, John, graduated at Prince- 



54 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

ton, in the first class under Dr. Witherspoon, whose com- 
ing to Princeton was due as much to his grandfather, 
Charles Beatty, as to any other man. But as the war 
broke out he entered the army, received a Captain's com- 
mission in the Fifth Penna. Batallion, attained the rank 
of Major, was taken prisoner at the surrender of Fort 
Washington, November 1776. On his exchange, he was 
appointed commissary-general of prisoners. As a man of 
business he held many positions of great responsibility. He 
returned to Princeton after the war and represented the 
State in Congress from 1783 to 1785. 

Dr. Reading Beatty, son of Charles and his wife, Ann 
Reading, was a student of medicine when the war broke 
out. He at once entered the army, and was taken pris- 
oner with his brother at the surrender of Fort Washing- 
ton. He was a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church 
at Newtown. Pa. His daughter, Ann, married the Rev. 
Alexander Boyd of Newtown, Pa. His daughter, Mary, 
married the Rev. Robert Steel, pastor of the Presbyterian 
Church at Abington, Pa. Another daughter, married 
Rev. Henry Wilson and died as a missionary in Arkansas. 
A daughter of Rev. Robert Steel, D. D., Mrs. Mary Har- 
vey, is now (1898) residing in Hoboken, N. J. She is 
an eminently brilliant woman and active in church and 
educational work. This at least, was true of her, during 
the time of my pastorate in that city, but being the widow 
of an Episcopal clergyman, her connection was not with 
the Church I served. She has rendered me material as- 
sistance in the preparation of this history. 

Col. Erkuries Beatty, another son of Rev. Charles Beat- 
ty was preparing for college when the war broke out. At 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 55 

the age of sixteen he entered the army under Lord Stirl- 
ing, who had espoused the cause of the Colonies. He was 
in the battles of Long Island and White Plains. He ob- 
tained an Ensign's commission in the Fourth Penna. Bat- 
talion. He was engaged in the Battle of Brandywine 
May 1777, and in that of Germantown in which he was 
severely wounded. He fought at Monmouth, June 28th, 
1778, under Wayne. He then joined LaFayette and was 
present at the capture of Yorktown, October 19th, 1781. 
Dr. Charles Clinton Beatty, son of Erkuries, was a 
distinguished clergyman of the Presbyterian Church. He 
was settled at Steubenville, Ohio, where in connection 
with his wife, he founded a large Female Seminary. He 
was Moderator of the General Assembly in 1862. He 
was an influential member of the Committee which con- 
summated the Union between the old School and the new 
School Presbyterian Churches. He was a very liberal 
benefactor of the Church and educational institutions. His 
gifts to the Female Seminary at Steubenville, to Jefferson 
College and to the Western Theological Seminary at 
Pittsburg are said to amount to $500,000. And he and 
his descendants must trace back to Amwell, and to Ann 
Reading when they would write up their history.* Just 
one more illustration of this wide influence of our Church. 
Mary, a daughter of Ann Reading and Charles Beatty 
married Rev. Enoch Green, Lydia Elizabeth, a grand- 
daughter of this Enoch Green married James W. Moore, 
D. D., and settled at Little Rock, Arkansas, and was 



*We are indebted to Dr. Charles Beatty's History of 
the Beatty family, for many of the above facts. 



56 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

the first missionary of the Presbyterian Church in that part 
of the State. A son of this James W. Moore, was Charles 
Beatty Moore, who graduated at Princeton in 1857, in 
the same class with myself. When I began to write this 
history I was struck with the name Charles Beatty and 
made inquiry as to his ancestry. You may imagine my 
surprise and delight to find that this classmate whom I 
love as a brother was also a descendant of the old Am- 
well Church of which I am pastor. For years we sat to- 
gether in grand old Princeton. During the war he was in 
the Confederate Army, and I in the Church, and my sym- 
pathies with the North. The war is ended, and old 
friends clasp hands with the friendship of earlier days. I 
believe him to be as true to the flag as I am, or any other 
man. He is an elder of the Presbyterian Church at Little 
Rock. In 1897 Major Charles Beatty Moore, such is the 
record in the minutes of the Synod of Arkansas, was 
elected to the office of Moderator of the Synod for the 
second time. Unfortunately, I have lost the date of his 
first election, which was said to be the first time that a 
layman had filled that office in America. I am confident 
he honored the office as truly as the office honored him. 
Naturally he is interested in this Church of his ancestors, 
and in this history. 

This family history should not close without recording 
the fact that a Miss Beatty, a great granddaughter of 
Ann Reading and Charles C. Beatty was a pioneer mis- 
sionary in India, stationed at Dehra, where, after a life 
spent in obedience to the Saviour's last command, she died 
and was buried. So it comes to pass that we have 
representatives of Old Amwell, or their descendants, scat- 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 57 

tered over the whole country. We find them on the At- 
lantic Coast, in the great Central States, in the Central 
and Southern part of the Mississippi Valley, on the Pacific 
Coast, and among the missionaries of far off India, all 
making a deeply interesting history of the family and an 
honor to the Church. 

And yet "the half has not been told," nor can we 
even mention the vast multitudes who trace their origin 
back to the Amwell Church, and to those honored ances- 
tors whose faith in God, and whose Christian character 
have stamped themselves upon their numerous descend- 
ants. Truly we have a wonderful heritage in the vener- 
able and sacred organization whose story we are trying 
to tell to the present, and the generation following. 

In presenting these family records I have answered with 
sufficient fullness the questions who was on the ground at 
the beginning of the Church? and presumably by whom 
was it organized? And who sustained the Church in 
the days of its infancy? For some of these I have car- 
ried the record down so as to connect the past and the 
present. 

Now, leaving the records of families, or individuals, 
we recur to the organization of the Church. The date of 
the organization I have been able to give only proximately. 
But I have the pleasure of stating for the first time to 
the present generation at least, the date of building the 
old Church which stood in the cemetery grounds between 
Reaville and Ringoes. This date is not given either 
by Dr. Mott or Dr. Blattenberger, in the sketches they 
have published of the Church. We have on file a paper 
in the handwriting of Jasper Smith, which was prepared 



58 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

in order to secure the removal of the Church to Flem- 
ington, and rebuild it there. This paper was presented to 
Presbytery, and its facts used in an address before Presby- 
ter}-, as an argument for the change of location. 

The paper gives numerous reasons for such removal. 
The very first reason mentioned is this, "Because the 
house," (meaning the old Church) "is ex-central. It was 
built fifty -two years ago, for the people between the Del- 
aware River and the Dutch Congregation in Reading 
Town." This paper is dated November, 1791. But fifty- 
two years before 1791 gives us 1739, thus fixing the date 
of building the old Church. That building continued to 
be the house of worship, though undergoing numerous 
and extensive repairs for one hundred years. For the 
other record is, that in 1839, during the pastorate of 
Rev. David Hull, the old Church was taken down, and 
the present Church building erected. That event closed 
a marvellous century in the history of this Church, and 
yet, so far as I have been able to learn, it was allowed to 
pass without a centennial celebration ; most likely without 
the knowledge that the Church had stood there for one 
hundred years. Who the people were who were inter- 
ested in the erection of that Church, we have already 
shown with very strong probability, if not certainty. 

A brief description of that building was given by the 
late George P. Rex, M. D., and was included in a sketch 
of the Church furnished by Dr. Blattenberger, for Snells 
History of Hunterdon County, published in 1881. Un- 
like our present Church building, its greatest length was 
parallel to the highway. The door was on the side fac- 
ing the road, and directly in front of it was the pulpit. 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 59 

There were galleries on three sides. It was built of wood. 
It contained neither stove nor fire place. 

"It was unfinished, and ever likely to be, and very 
cold," is given as the second reason, in the paper of 1791, 
already quoted for removing and building in Flemington, 
"And because when the people arrive, there are no houses 
nearby, with fire, where people can warm." A third rea- 
son for moving the Church was, "There is no place by the 
Church where victuals and drink can be procured for the 
hungry and thirsty." 

Last winter I called on Mr. Peter R. Young, then in 
his 90th year, and living with his daughter at Morris- 
town, to learn something of the old Church. But his 
memory had failed, and there was but little that he could 
give in a way that I could rely upon it. But this is a 
part of what he said. The floor of the Church was of 
brick and the means of heating was to build a fire of logs 
outside the Church. Coals from such fire were gathered 
into a large iron caldron or kettle and carried to the cen- 
tre of the Church. The fumes arising from these coals 
would some times cause persons in the gallery to faint. He 
had some interesting reminiscences about the Schencks 
who he said came to this country in 1630 and that they 
owned a very large tract of land, extending from Ringoes 
to Pennington. Also he said that General Washington 
advised the oldest of the Schencks then living not to join 
the army, but to continue on the farm to raise grain to 
feed the army. This reminiscence of Mr. Young I men- 
tion, but because of his failing memory, it is to be re- 
garded rather as a subject for inquiry, than as a statement 
of fact. 



60 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

The Presbytery of New Brunswick was organized 
1738, and directed to hold its first meeting August 8th, at 
New Brunswick. It was ordered at that meeting that 
"Mr. Wales preach at John Fraissier's upon the third Sab- 
bath of this instant, upon Monday following at Edward 
Barbers, and upon Tuesday at Amwell meeting house." 
Thus it appears there was a meeting house in existence in 
1738. Hence the date I have quoted from Jasper Smith's 
paper, making the "Old House" our previous Church 
fifty-two years old in 1791, was not our first Church 
building, or else there is a slight error in the date. I 
think it altogether more probable that there was this still 
"older house" in existence, somewhere in the Amwell Val- 
ley, which was supplanted by the one built on the York 
Road in 1739. 

A fact of greater historic interest than the date of the 
origin of the Church is the first meeting of the Presbytery 
at Amwell. The Synod, then the highest court of the 
Church, had ordered that every candidate for the minis- 
try, not having a degree from a university, must, in lieu 
of that, have a certificate from the Synod's Committee on 
Candidates for the Ministry, before it was in order for 
a Presbytery to proceed with his license. The Presbytery 
of New Brunswick, however, at its first session disre- 
garded this order of Synod. John Rowland, a native of 
Wales, appeared before the Presbytery and was taken on 
trials. It is true he was a graduate of the Log Col- 
lege, but that,by no means answered the requirement of 
Synod for a degree from some university. Neither had 
he the certificate in lieu of it, from Synod. September 
7th, 1738, the Presbytery proceeded with his license, 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 61 

claiming that to the Presbytery belonged the original 
jurisdiction in granting a license, and that the Synod had 
no right to interfere. The Synod at its next meeting en- 
tertained a complaint of this action of Presbytery, and 
expressed its disapproval. At the meeting of Presbytery 
just mentioned, which was held at Freehold, more sup- 
plies were requested by Amwell. Though there was a 
great scarcity of ministers John Rowland was appointed 
to preach at Amwell. The Rev. William Tennent was 
also appointed to preach at Amwell the first Wednesday 
in September, 1739. In that same month the people of 
Amwell offered a petition for the ordination of Mr. Row- 
land. That meant his settlement as pastor. On the 1 1 th 
of October, 1739, the Presbytery met at Amwell, with a 
view to ordain Mr. Rowland. This is the first meeting 
of Presbytery at Amwell. It held its first session on the 
evening of the first day at the house of Michael Henry. 
Among those present were William and Gilbert Ten- 
nent, also graduates of the Log College, under their fath- 
er. The record of this meeting in the minutes of the Pres- 
bytery of New Brunswick, which is the authority for these 
statements, is as follows: 

"The affair of Mr. Rowland being resumed, the Pres- 
bytery do report that, after deliberate consideration upon 
the present circumstances of Amwell, inasmuch as they 
desired, but one-third part of Mr. Rowland's time and 
labors among them, judged it improper to ordain him to 
that place in particular, and therefore the necessitous state 
of the Church so requiring, they proceeded to ordain him, 
sine titulo, i. e. to the ministry of the word in general." 
Hence he was not installed as pastor at Amwell. He, 



62 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

however supplied Amwell and Lawrenceville for about 
six months, and this ordination took place in the Amwell 
Church. There is to-day, 1898. an added interest ad- 
hering to this license and ordination of Mr. Rowland. 
because the license was granted contrary to a standing 
rule of Synod, and the ordination in face of the admoni- 
tion of Synod; and because the act, and the plea that 
original jurisdiction in this matter belongs to the Pres- 
bytery, and not to the Synod, is substantially the same as 
the case of the Presbytery of New York, which claims 
original jurisdiction in the matter of granting license, 
and disregards the deliverance of the General Assembly, 
which grew out of the Briggs case. 

And this was maintained with great spirit and earnest- 
ness, only two weeks ago, in the Presbytery of New York. 
so we had substantially a Briggs case in the Presbytery 
of New Brunswick, and this old Amwell Church, directly 
concerned in the matter as long ago as in 1739. And 
while this act of the Presbytery was a leading factor in 
causing the Schism of 1741. yet it is pleasant to know 
that New Brunswick acted without personal bitterness, 
and long before the union in 1758, came to recognize the 
fact that unin- was much to be preferred to division, and 
that authority* and mutual concession are better than dis- 
order and variance. 

It will be interesting to have a brief account of Mr. 
Rowland's labors on this field. At the time "the piety of 
the Church, both among the ministry and laity was in a 
languid condition." There had been an awakening a few 
years previous, in Freehold, under John Tennent. This 
began to be felt in other sections. Whitefield came to 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 63 

America in 1738. His preaching deepened this interest. 
The Tennents and Whitefield were in full accord in 
Spiritual matters and withal sometimes uncharitable, not 
to say unchristian, in their utterances about what they 
regarded as an unconverted ministry. Rowland embraced 
the views of Whitefield and the Tennents. He writes 
that at the Presbytery in 1738, the congregations of Maid- 
enhead (Lawrenceville) and Hopewell (Pennington) put 
in a supplication for me. The opposition to him that arose 
afterward about the manner of his license increased to so 
much dislike to him at Hopewell (Pennington) that the 
use of the Church was denied him. Hence he preached in 
private houses, and in barns. Shortly after the people of 
the Hopewell Church, who desired him, obtained permis- 
sion from the Presbytery, and erected a Church for his 
use. It was nearer the river than the present Church at 
Pennington. After the reunion, this part of the congre- 
gation returned to the old Church, and the new building 
went down. Rowland labored zealousy in these two 
Churches. He writes "there is another town (township 
he means) lying contiguous to Hopewell, which is called 
Amwell. The people there, are something numerous like- 
wise, and having none to labor among them, they peti- 
tioned for a part of my time, namely, one Sabbath in 
three." His ordination for this field, as we have seen, 
led to the serious difference between the Presbytery and 
the Synod. He continues, "there was a small number in 
Hopewell and Maidenhead, truly acquainted with vital 
religion, as far as I could judge, before I came among 
them. They seemed so earnest in prayer, night and day, 
to have the gospel in power among them, as if they would 



64 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

take no denial. But in Amwell there were very few who 
knew the Lord Jesus when I came among them. Yet in 
many ways they were an agreeable people." 

'"The subjects I insisted on for about six months were 
conviction and conversion. Usually I made use of the 
most rousing and awakening texts. Some began to be 
convinced that they were in misery, and knew not the 
way to the Kingdom of heaven. I commonly preached at 
night as well as in the day. and frequently on week days. 
The people of God were much enlivened to see poor sin- 
ners convinced of the perishing nature of their State, and 
their absolute need of Christ. The effect was they bore 
great love to one another, and sweet peace among them- 
selves, so that I was not interrupted from my work, in 
making up differences among them." 

"In the month of May. 1739. I began to preach on 
the most inviting and encouraging subjects. A sermon 
from the text, The Master is come and calleth for thee, 
was brought home, through the divine influence, upon 
many Souls. Solemn weeping, and deep concern appeared 
throughout the congregation." 

Again in Amwell, July 27th, 1740 and in Maidenhead 
August 3rd. God was pleased to magnify his grace, in vis- 
iting poor sinners. He opened their eyes, to see themselves 
without Christ, and without hope in the world. Their 
convictions were attended with great horror and trem- 
bling, and loud weeping, which I suppose could not be 
stopped so easily as sjme do imagine for I observed that 
many did continue crying in the most doleful manner 
along the road, on their way home." 

On one occasion after sermon I enquired of these per- 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 65 

sons the real cause of their crying out in such a manner. 
Some answered me "that they saw hell opening before 
them, and themselves ready to fall into it. Others an- 
swered that they were struck with such a sense of their 
sinfulness, that they were afraid the Lord would never 
have mercy on them." 

"As to the issue of these convictions, many of them were 
followed with sound conversion. Others backslided and 
became stiff-necked again, though the numbers of the back- 
sliding in these towns, was not so great as I have seen in 
some places. One great means to prevent backsliding 
from convictions in Amwell was this; when the husband 
was taken, the wife was also taken ; or, when the wife was 
visited, the husband was also; so they were ever stirring up 
each other. Many such instances are in the town of Am- 
well, upon which account that congregation appears to me 
peculiarly beautiful. As to Maidenhead and Hopewell, 
I believe that one great means the Lord used there to 
prevent backsliding, was the care and diligence of some of 
the Christian people in conversing with the convinced." 
Mr. Rowland was a real Boanerges in denouncing the 
terrors of the law against impenitent sinners, and because 
of his faithfulness, the ungodly nicknamed him "the hell- 
fire Rowland." 

A very brief notice of Mr. Rowland after he left Am- 
well, Hopewell and Maidenhead, will show how the in- 
fluence of the first Amwell preacher has been extended. 
He went from here to the Great Valley of Providence and 
Norristown, Pa. While laboring there, the grandfather 
of Archibald Alexander was converted.* Also the an- 



*Dr. Murphy's Log College Presbytery. 
5 



66 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

cestors of Revs. Robert, Samuel and Hugh Hamell, D. 
D., were converted under his ministry. Likewise under 
his preaching and that of Whitefield the soul of that pre- 
eminent preacher, Rev. Samuel Davies, afterwards presi- 
dent of Princeton College caught its inspiration. Another 
fact of deep interest was the visit of Whitefield to Am- 
well. He was undoubtedly the greatest preacher since the 
Reformation. Mr. Webster and Dr. Mott have placed 
this visit of Whitefield to the Amwell Church in 1739. 
Long ago I became convinced there was an error as to this 
date, believing the time to have been in 1740, I wrote to 
Rev. Mr. Dulles, librarian of the Theological Seminary 
Library at Princeton, asking him to investigate the matter. 
He answered that I was correct, since a volume in the 
library made Whitefield's visit to Amwell in 1740. 

I was not satisfied to make the correction on this tes- 
timony alone. Hence, when I was in Philadelphia re- 
cently, searching for material for this history, I looked 
up the matter of Whitefield's visit. In the memoirs of 
the Life of Whitefield, compiled by Rev. John Gillies, 
D. D., and published in 1772, I found extracts from 
Whitefield's journal, written by William Seward, White- 
field's companion in travel. 

In a continuous extract from that journal we have: 

April 13, 1740. Mr. Tennent informed us of the 
great success which had attended on brother Whitefield's 
preaching when last here. 

April 14. Mr. Jones, a Baptist minister, told us of two 
other ministers who were affected with our brother White- 
field's spirit, viz., Mr. Treat and Mr. Morgan. 

April 18. This day was published our brother White- 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 67 

field's letter to the inhabitants of Md., Va. and N. and 
S. Carolina about their abuse of the poor negroes. 

April 22nd. Agreed with Mr. Allen for 5,000 acres 
of land at the Forks of the Delaware for 2,20o£ Sterling; 
the conveyance to be made to Mr. Whitefield, and after 
that assigned to me, as security for my advancing the 
money. Mr. Whitefield proposes to give orders for build- 
ing the negro school on the purchased land before he 
leaves the province. 

April 24th. We came to Mr. Wigner's plantation in 
Skippack, where many Dutch people are settled, and where 
the famous Mr. Spalenburg, (Spangenburg) resided late- 
ly. It was surprising to see such a multitude of people 
gathered in such a wilderness country, thirty miles distant 
from Philadelphia ( !) Our brother was singularly carried 
out in his sermon to press poor sinners to come to Christ 
by faith, and claim all their privileges, viz, not only 
righteousness and peace, but joy in the Holy Ghost. Af- 
ter he had done, our dear friend, Peter Boehler preached 
in Dutch, to those who could not understand our brother 
in English. Before our brother left Philadelphia he was 
desired to visit one who was under a deep sense of sin, 
from having heard him preach. And in praying with this 
person, he was carried beyond himself, so that the whole 
company who were about twenty, seemed to be filled with 
the Holy Ghost, and magnified the God of heaven. 

"April 25th. We rose at three o'clock and though our 
brother Whitefield was very weak in body, yet the Lord 
enabled him to ride near fifty (50) miles and to preach 
to about five thousand (5,000) people at Am well, with 
the same power as usual. Mr. Gilbert Tennent, Mr. 



68 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Rowland, Mr. Wales, and Mr. Campbell, four godly 
ministers, met us here. These brethren are said to have 
given the people three sermons before the arrival of Mr. 
Whitefield. Saturday, April 26, we came to New Bruns- 
wick, and preached there and on Sabbath to seven thou- 
sand people. New Jersey Archives XII, page 26, corrob- 
orates this date. The statement of 5, OCX) at Amwell 
April 25, 1740, looks almost like an impossibility. Know- 
ing how people are prone to overestimate numbers at any 
gathering, I so regarded it when I first saw it. But the 
evidences convince me it may be received as accurate. Let 
us remember the intense religious feeling now awakened, 
and the marvellous oratorical powers of the preacher, Ben- 
jamin Franklin went to hear him in a cold calculating way 
to find out the secret of his power, but soon found himself 
a captive. His statement is that so loud and clear was 
Whitefield's voice and so distinct his articulation that he 
estimated he could be heard by 30,000 people. He was 
less than a month in Philadelphia and yet so great was the 
change wrought that there was religious service held 
every day for a year after, and three times on Sabbath. 
Twenty-six associations for prayer were formed. The 
judges at Chester hearing he was to preach in their town, 
sent him word they would adjourn the court until after 
the sermon. A platform was erected and he preached to 
seven thousand. At Wilmington he preached twice to 
five thousand. At Philadelphia ten thousand assembled 
on Society Hill to hear his last sermon. On Sabbath at 
White Clay Creek to eight thousand. When he left Phil- 
adelphia, a thousand people accompanied him on horseback 
out of the city. But w T here did the five thousand come 
from ? From far and near. As evidence, an Indian Chief 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 69 

was known to walk fifty miles to attend communion at 
Crosswicks in the days of David Brainard. When White- 
field arose at three o'clock in the morning so weak as to 
need help to mount his horse, and rode from Philadelphia 
to Amwell to preach, could not the people go an equal 
distance. The reputation of the man, his matchless ora- 
tory, and the intense interest of the people make it possi- 
ble. To-day people interested, will go from twenty to 
forty miles to attend a State Fair, to see some machinery, 
some fancy work, some fine horses, cattle or sheep, because 
interested. Those were the days, when a man was thought 
to be better than a sheep, and an interest in the Kingdom 
of more moment than the success of a party, and a man's 
soul of more value than earthly goods. So I believe it, 
"Five thousand at Amwell to hear Whitefield." And as 
we are to-day working and preserving and honoring every 
house where Washington may have stopped for a night or 
a few days at most, so may we count it an honor, and 
cherish the fact with much pleasure that April 25th, 1740, 
Whitefield, the prince of preachers, honored our church 
with his presence and his labors, and drew together this 
vast audience of five thousand people to hear him. Of 
course the sermon was delivered by the Church, not in it. 
After Mr. Rowland left Amwell, the Church continued 
to be served by supplies. August 2nd, 1742, a call was 
presented to Presbytery for the services of a Mr. McCrea, 
(supposed to be Rev. James McCrea, licensed by Presby- 
tery November 5th, 1739, and ordained August 4th, 
1741). The answer of Presbytery was that Mr. McCrea 
supply Amwell as formerly. He continued with the 
Church, as supply until May 28th, 1745. May 26th, 
1746, Mr. Davenport was appointed to supply Second 



70 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Bethlehem one-quarter of his time, Amwell one-half his 
time, and the remaining quarter at Hopewell and Maiden- 
head. May 19th, 1747, Amwell petitioned for three- 
fourths of Mr. Davenport's time, which was granted. 

This arrangement soon ceased. Mr. Davenport sup- 
plied Amwell only occasionally after that, in 1747, and 
in 1 748. In October, as already stated, the Rev. Charles 
Beatty was appointed to supply Amwell one-fourth of his 
time, and Mr. James Campbell three Sabbaths before our 
next. Mr. Beatty, you remember, married Ann, daugh- 
ter of Governor Reading. He and Mr. Campbell, Mr. 
Allen and Mr. Chestnut were among the supplies. Mr. 
Campbell was the principal supply until June 12th, 1750, 
when he declined a call to Amwell, previously received, 
and accepted one to New Providence and Charlestown. 

It will be a surprise to many, I am sure, to be informed 
that May 1st, 1749, this Church held a Lottery. This 
was a common practice at that day among the churches 
and colleges when they wished to raise money. The Col- 
lege of New Jersey did this, (See New Jersey Archives, 
Vol. XII, First Series), which also gives an account of 
the Amwell Lottery, as here presented, and of many 
others. The Legislature, however, passed an act at that 
very time, making them unlawful. 

SCHEME 

Of The 

Amwell in New- Jersey LOTTERY, 

For raising Six Hundred and Thirty Pounds, for the 
finishing the Presbyterian Meeting-House, and buying a 
Parsonage. 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 



7i 



Number of Prizes. 


Va 


lue of Each. 


Total 


Value. 




2 


of 


<£ioo 


are 


£200 




3 


of 


50 


are 


150 




8 


of 


30 


are 


240 




12 


of 


15 


are 


180 




25 


of 


10 


are 


250 




40 


of 


5 


are 


200 




150 


of 


3 


are 


450 




200 


of 


2 


are 


400 




990 


of 


£ 1 . 10s. 


are 


1485 


Prizes 


1430 




First drawr 


L 


5 


Blanks 


4170 




Last drawn 




10 




5600 




From w 


hich 


3570 


Tickets 


at 15s. each, 


is £4200 


deduct 15^ per 


630 








Cent. 


is 





£4200 



The Drawing to commence on or before the First Day 
of November next, at the Meeting-House abovesaid, if 
filled by that Time, under the Care and Management 
of Martin Ryerson, Esq. ; and Messrs. Peter Prall, Mich- 
ael Henry, and Emanuel Coryel, who are to dispose of 
the Tickets, and to be under Oath for the faithful Man- 
agement of the same. The Fortunate are to receive their 
Prizes entire; the 15 per Cent, being deducted from 
the whole Sum produced by the Sale of the Tickets be- 
fore the Drawing begins, and not from the Prizes after 
they are Drawn: Fourteen Days Notice at least to be 
given before the Day of Drawing; the Prizes are to be 



72 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

printed in this Paper, when the Drawing is concluded. — 
The Pennsylvania Journal, September I, 1748. 

The Managers of the Amwell Lottery, hereby give 
Notice, that they intend to put the Numbers in the Boxes, 
the latter End of April next, so as to begin the Drawing 
thereof on Monday the first Day of May, when they will 
certainly proceed therein without any further Delay or 
postponing; Mean while there remains some Tickets in 
the Hands of the Managers to be sold as usual. — The 
N. Y. Gazette Revived in the Weekly post Boy, Feb. 
27, 1749. See N. J. Archives, First Series, Vol. XII, 
page 483. 

THE FIRST PASTOR, REV. ELIAB BYRAM. 
1751— 1754. 

The time came at length, however, for relief from the 
unsatisfactory system of supplies. The first settled pastor 
of the Church, was the Rev. Eliab Byram. Mr. Byram 
was born at Bridgewater, Mass., and graduated at Har- 
vard College in 1740. His ancestor Nicholas Byram, set- 
tled in Bridgewater in 1660. He became pastor of Roc- 
siticus, now Mendam, New Jersey, in October, 1743. 

Rocsiticus was placed under the care of the Presbytery 
of New Brunswick in 1738, but at its own request was 
restored to the Presbytery of New York, the next year, 
Mr. Byram was present at the formation of the Synod of 
New York in 1745. 

The celebrated David Brainard had Mr. Byram for 
his companion in his first journey to the Susquehanna in 
1746. Brainard speaks of him with much affection. Mr. 
Byram afterward labored in 1746, and 1747, in Augusta 
Co., Va., and his labors there were greatly blessed. The 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 73 

awakening resulting therefrom, lasted until 1751 (Web- 
ster). Falling Spring and Providence called him in 1747, 
having had experience of his faithfulness and ability, but 
he declined to settle in Virginia. His very success in Vir- 
ginia, brought him into trouble, for there was a very bit- 
ter feeling excited against him by "The Old Side," which 
stirred up the government of Virginia against the reviv- 
alist.* Mr. Byram had Mr. Deane, of Brandywine 
Manor, Pa., and a graduate of the Log College, with him, 
in these missionary labors in Virginia. 

Mr. Byram joined the Presbytery of New Brunswick 
May 22nd, 1751. He became at this time a supply for Am- 
well. He was called to the pastorate of this Church June 
25th. He was duly installed as pastor of Amwell First 
Church, August 14th, 1751. 

He married "Phebe, daughter of Ephraim Leonard, of 
Raynham, of an ancient and honorable family," the his- 
torian says. So there was a good beginning in the first 
pastorate of this Church in this, that the pastor's wife was 
as is becoming, of an "honorable family." And we must 
not overlook, what it is very pleasant to record, that the 
first pastor of this church, was so imbued with the mis- 
sionary spirit, that he was an acceptable companion to the 
Sainted Brainard, the great missionary to the Indians, 
and that he himself gave a part of his early years to other 
missionary labors. In the Amwell Valley, after he settled 
here, he cherished the same spirit, for we learn that here 
Mr. Byram's labors were so successful that in 1754, the 
year of his death the Presbytery was petitioned by the 



*Dr. Mott, 



74 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

people bordering on the Delaware," to give them the 
privilege of building a meeting house for their own con- 
venience. This was granted, and a separate congregation 
was formed, and a Church built at Mount Airy, which 
was called the Second Amwell Church. These two Am- 
well Churches continued as united charge, served by the 
same pastor down to 1818, (Dr. Mott). The petition 
presented to Presbytery for the organization of a church 
at Mt. Airy was presented "by the people bordering on the 
Delaware." This gives the western boundary of the 
charge as at first constituted, and continued until the 
church at Lambertville was organized. On the east there 
was no church until you come to Reading Town, as it was 
then called. Many of the strong families on the north 
came from Flemington and miles beyond, as the nearest 
churches in that direction were those of Bethlehem and 
Kingwood as now named. The only churches within 
these boundaries was the Episcopal Church at Ringoes, 
and the Dutch Calvinistic Church at Larison's Corner, 
organized in 1749. To the northwest was the German 
Baptist Church at headquarters organized in 1732 (Con- 
verse) . 

Upon this territory constituting the pastoral charge of 
Mr. Byram, when he was installed, and from all parts of 
which he had members in attendance, there are now seven 
Presbyterian Churches, two Reformed Churches, and 
many Methodist and Baptist Churches. 

The Presbyterian Churches are Amwell First, organized 
before 1737, Amwell Second, organized 1754, Fleming- 
ton 1792. Amwell United First 18 10, although it had ex- 
isted as a Dutch Calvinistic meeting house since 1747. 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 75 

Lambertville 1821, Stocton 1867, Kirkpatrick Memorial 
1868, with an aggregate membership of 1608, in 1898, 
and 1552 in 1907. 

During Mr. Byram's pastorate in the year 1753, a 
subscription was made for purchasing a parsonage. There 
are on file three copies of the subscription paper circu- 
lated for this purpose. These are the oldest papers known 
to be in existence, pertaining to the Church. These pa- 
pers are so tender and torn that their further preserva- 
tion and use will be very difficult. For this reason the 
paper will be copied entire. It is certainly worthy this 
distinction. The paper is deeply interesting, as showing 
the earnest purpose of our ancestors and predecessors when 
they were making a subscription for Church purposes. 
They not only are careful to bind themselves for the pay- 
ment of the sum subscribed, but their heirs and execu- 
tors as well. The paper reads as follows: 

"We, the Subscribers do hereby separately, apart and 
for himself, and his Several and Respective Heirs, Execu- 
tors and Administrators, Covenant And bind ourselves, 
and each of us in the penalty of Double the Sum affixed 
to our Several names to pay, or cause to be paid, to Derick 
Hoagland, Robert Combs, James Stout, Derick Sutphen 
or Abraham Larew; or the Survivours of them, or Such 
other persons as shall at any time be chosen hereafter, or 
by the Heads of the Presbyterian Congregation in Am- 
well, be appointed (as well as if they were expressed by 
name) their Executors, Administrators or Assigns, or 
either of them, Such sum and Sums of money as are Af- 
fixed or Subscribed to our Several Respective Names, to 
be in Such proportion as the payments equal to the pay- 



76 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

ments that shall be agreed on by the Managers that may 
be chosen for the purchasing of a Parsonage, which shall 
be thought by the persons Appointed, fitting, necessary, 
and convenient for the Seat of a Presbyterian Minister 
which now is, or may hereafter be called, induced or or- 
dained for the Afforsaid congregation. Witness the Hands 
of us the Subscribers fully, freely and voluntarily Con- 
senting to the above engagement. Amwell Feb. 1753." 

Then follows a list of the subscribers, which has many 
interesting features, but chiefly as showing who were on 
the ground, and interested in the Church at that early 
day in her history, one hundred and forty-six years ago. 

The subscribers are as follows. I give the spelling as 
found on the paper as accurately as it can be made out. 
The money is in pounds and shillings, in the subscription. 
In the payment which I shall not quote, it is in pence 
also, which is accounted for, because evidently notes were 
given, and interest collected on the subscriptions when 
not paid down. There is also a distinction made of sub- 
scribers north of the Neshanic, and south of the Ne- 
shanic : 

On the North. £ s. 

John Reading Jr 2 10 

John Reading 10 00 

John Reading 3 00 

Jacob Gray 5 00 

Jacob Gray 1 10 

Daniel Reading 1 

Jacob Mattison 6 00 

Jacob Mattison 2 00 

Martin Ryerson , 2 00 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 77 

Daniel Griggs 7 00 

David Bartron 3 00 

John Smith 1 OO 

George Reading 5 00 

Eliz Harney 15 

James Stout 6 IO 

Richard Philips 5 00 

John Anderson 8 00 

William Anderson 5 OO 

Samuel Carman 2 00 

Samuel Furman 1 OO 

Thomas Hunt 4 00 

Jonathan Hill 5 00 

Samuel Fleming 6 00 

Michael Henry 5 00 

Richard Reading 15 

Samuel Hill 5 OO 

Derrick Sutphin 5 OO 

Derrick Sutphin 1 10 

John Frances 7-6 

John Cox 1 00 

William Davison 1 05 

John Wood . 15 

Henry Dildine 1 OO 

Nathaniel Bogart 15 

Abraham Larew . 5 OO 

On the South Side : 

Peter Prall 10 00 

Benjamin Johnson 5 OO 

Benjamin Johnson 1 00 

Peter Prall, Jr 1 IO 



78 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Abraham Prall 2 05 

Garret Schenck 5 00 

Garret Schenck 1 15 

Garret Schenck 05 

William Schenck 1 05 

William Schenck 10 

Daniel Larew , 10 

Thomas Harding 1 00 

Jacobus Johnson 6 00 

Gerardus Lequier 2 00 

Samuel Kompton 15 

John Corwin 1 10 

Joseph Corwin . 1 10 

Simeon Kinney 2 00 

Peter Lott 10 

Ester Corwin 05 

James Stout 6 10 

Jacob Sutphen 1 05 

Alexander McElheny 15 

Eliab Byram 10 00 

Joseph Reading 15 

Jonathan Stout 1 10 

Benjamin Howell 1 00 

Stephen Gano 15 

Tunis Quick 15 

Thomas Lake 10 

William Wilgus 6-3 

Joseph Sargeant 12-6 

Some of the names last given are not classified as to 
North and South side of the Neshanic, and consequently 
may not here be placed accurately. But the distinction 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 79 

between the North and South sides of the Neshanic was 
kept up in all subscription papers for many years. Later 
the North side was known as the Flemington division. 

Mr. By ram continued in the pastorate of the Church 
until his death, which occurred before May, 1754. His 
remains are supposed to lie under a horizontal slab in the 
cemetery, near the place where the old Church stood. 
But the hand of time has obliterated every trace of what- 
ever inscription may have been placed upon it. 

So within less than three years of incessant labor in 
this large field, and doing the work of a missionary be- 
sides, the first pastor died, and was buried, and only by 
vague tradition can we tell his grave. But better than 
monument of marble is the work he did. These works 
follow him and testify of his zeal for the Master, nor 
will the unmarked grave be unknown, on the morning of 
the resurrection. 

Derrick Hoagland is the first representative of the 
Church in Presbytery. He attended the meeting at Bound 
Brook, May 30th, 1753, when he asked for supplies for 
Amwell. As Mr. Byram was still pastor, this application 
leads to the inference that the pastor was either off doing 
some missionary work in the colonies, or was in too poor 
health to fill the pulpit. Mr. Hoagland subsequently ap- 
pears in Presbytery as an elder, which shows him to have 
been the first elder of the Church so far as is now known. 

THE SECOND PASTOR WAS REV. BENJAMIN HAIT. 
1755— 1765. 

The second pastor of Amwell First, was Benjamin 
Hait, or Hoit as his name is pronounced, and sometimes 



80 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

spelled. Webster says Mr. Hait was probably a native 
of Norwalk, Connecticut. He graduated at Nassau Hall 
in 1754. While a student he went, in company with 
Davies, afterward president of the College of N. J., from 
Newark to New York. "A promising young man," he 
observes, "I had an agreeable conversation with him on 
original sin, and the influence of the flesh upon the spirit 
to incline it to sin."* 

Mr. Hait was taken on trials by the Presbytery of 
New Brunswick, as soon as he had received his diploma 
September 27th, 1754. He was licensed October 25th 
and sent to supply the Forks of the Delaware. In the fol- 
lowing May, Am well and the Forks asked for him, and 
Fagg's Manor made him a call. Amwell presented a call 
to him November nth, 1755, which he accepted. He 
was ordained and installed December 4th, 1755.* The 
pastoral relation was dissolved May 30th, 1765. From 
Amwell Mr. Hait removed to Walkill, N. Y., and after- 
ward settled at Connecticut Farms, N. J., where he died 
June 27, 1779. 

During Mr. Hait's pastorate in the Amwell Churches, 
death entered his household. On a tombstone in our old 
burying ground is the only record the church has of his 
stay among us. That reads, "Nancy, daughter of Benj. 
and Ann Hait, born September 21st, 1757, died Septem- 
ber 20th, 1759." 

In 1756 Michael Henry is named in the records of the 
Presbytery among the elders in attendance at that meet- 



*Webster. 
♦Records Presby. 



The colonial period gi 

ing. He is undoubtedly the same Michael Henry, at 
whose house the first meeting of Presbytery in Amwell 
was held. 

Evidently Mr. Hait was a man of ability and had the 
esteem of his brethren as the Records of Synod show. The 
same minute is also interesting, as informing us of the 
manner of caring for theological students at that early 
day. 

Newark, September 30th, 1756, Synod of New York in 
session. \ ' '>-. j [ j ,, \ 

4 'Whereas, the Synod appointed such Scholars as expect 
any part of the fund designed for the education of pious 
youth to be examined by Synod at their annual meeting 
and the Synod finding they are unable through multiplicity 
of business, and by reason of the absence of some that de- 
signed to offer themselves, to have their examinations be- 
fore their own body at this meeting, do appoint Messrs. 
Burr, William Tennent, Brainard, Davenport, Treat Mc- 
Knight, Cummins and Hait to be a committee to meet at 
Princeton 23rd day of November next, to examine such 
candidates as offer, and determine what proportion of said 
money each shall have the ensuing year. The committee 
met as appointed, and granted assistance as follows: to 
John Strain £24, to John Carmikle £12 for the year. 

Again Synod met at Maidenhead May 18th, 1757. The 
Synod at this meeting (and you will notice it was during 
his pastorate in these Amwell Churches,) appointed Mr. 
Hait to go to the vacant places in the South as soon as 
his affairs will permit, and spend four months among the 
people there.* From this appointment we see that the 



*Records of Synod. 

6 



82 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Second pastor of this Church, like the first was personally 
interested in the cause of missions. And also that the 
Church surrendered his service that he might engage in 
this mission work for a period of four months. 

I much doubt if this Church ever made a collection for 
missions during its entire history, equal in value to the 
services of their pastor, for a period of four months. It 
is also pleasing to record the fact to Mr. Hait's honor, that 
he was elected moderator of the Synod of New York and 
Philadelphia which met at Philadelphia May 22nd, 1776 
(Mott). This honor came to him during his pastorate 
at Connecticut Farms. Of his subsequent history we 
know nothing except what has been stated. 

THE THIRD PASTOR WAS REV. WILLIAM KIRKPATRICK, 
I 766-I 769. 

From the time of Mr. Hait's dismission May 30th, 
1765, to August, 1766, the Church was served by sup- 
plies. Among these was the Rev. William Kirkpatrick, 
who became the third pastor of the Church. 

Mr. Kirkpatrick graduated at the college of N. J. in 
1757, being a member of the first class that graduated 
after the removal of the college to Princeton. Judging 
from his age at the time of his death, as given on his 
tombstone, he must have been about thirty years old when 
he graduated. That was the year in which president Burr 
died. It was in that year the college was blessed with a 
precious revival of religion. 

One of his classmates was Joseph Reed, afterward Gov- 
ernor of Pennsylvania. Another was Rev. Alexander 
MacWhorter, D. D. In the following year 1758, oc- 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 83 

curred the Union of the Synods of New York and Phila- 
delphia. At the meeting of the Presbytery of New Bruns- 
wick in June of that year, Kirkpatrick and MacWhorter 
were taken under trials as candidates for the ministry. 
Presbytery pronounced themselves so well pleased with 
their preliminary examination, as to encourage them to 
proceed in their design. The theme for Kirkpatrick's 
exegeses was, An certitudo subjectiva salutis sit de essentia 
fidei justiflcantis. His trial text was Rom. 3 128. On the 
25th of next month the Presbytery met at Princeton, 
when the only business was to hear and approve the com- 
position of the two candidates, and giving them texts for 
further exegesis. Kirkpatrick's second trial text was Phil. 
4:5. These were heard August 15th, when both were li- 
censed and sent out to supply vacant congregations till fall 
Presbytery. Kirkpatrick's appointments were Oxford- 
Forks of the Delaware, Greenwich, Bethlehem and King- 
wood. 

In June, 1759, the united congregations of Bethlehem 
and Kingwood brought a call to Mr. Kirkpatrick. A call 
or "petition" as was the term then in use, was also pre- 
sented for his services from Tohikan, Tehicken or Tini- 
cum, the Church whence came Benjamin Carrell one of 
the pastors of this Church. But Synod, which at times 
exercised Presbyterial functions, had at its sessions a month 
before, ordered that Kirkpatrick, MacWhorter and Latta 
take a journey to Virginia and Carolina as early in the 
summer or fall as possible, and minister to the destitute in 
those parts for several months. Presbyteries also acted for 
sessions, as we find this item in the record of transactions, 
that in October, 1756, Jacob Reeder, a member of Hope- 



84 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

well and Maidenhead congregations asked Presbytery to 
dismiss him to Amwell on account of convenience, which 
request Presbytery granted. On their return from the 
South Presbytery hastened to ordain Kirkpatrick and 
MacWhorter. Kirkpatrick's text was "The poor have 
the Gospel preached to them," and for a Latin exegesis 
"The Perseverance of the Saints." 

These were presented July 4th, 1759, and both candi- 
dates were ordained on that day "Sine titulo." Kirk- 
patrick declined the calls to Bethlehem and Kingwood. 
The Trenton First Church asked for Kirkpatrick as a 
supply March nth, 1760, and he was directed to preach 
there as many Sabbaths as may consist with his other obli- 
gations, between this and next Presbytery. 

The French war was now drawing near its close, yet 
was calling out loyal colonists on the frontiers. May 
2 1st, 1760, Synod directed Kirkpatrick to go with the 
New Jersey forces in the ensuing campaign for a short 
time." 

He was back in season for the meeting of Presbytery 
in Princeton February 3rd, 1761, at which time he was 
clerk of Presbytery. Other congregations asked for his 
services. In April 28th, 1761, Trenton made a call for 
him as their pastor. May, 1761, we find him on a com- 
mittee of nine to devise ways for the better support of 
John Brainard, as missionary to the Indians. Brainard 
left his Church at Newark for this Mission on the solici- 
tations of the Indians themselves. They had become des- 
titute by the death of his brother, David. Crosswicks, the 
place hallowed by these associations is but a few miles 
from Trenton. Though last named on the committee, the 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 85 

overture urging an increase in the funds as well as the la- 
borers, is from the pen of Kirkpatrick. 

At the meetings of Presbytery, during the intervals of 
Synod, applications were made for the service of Mr. 
Kirkpatrick from Elizabeth town, Brunswick and Deer- 
field. Presbytery allowed him to dispose of his time as he 
deemed best. The Trenton call had not been accepted, 
though he was still with them much of his time. It seems 
that while he was inclined to Trenton, "the congregation 
were so backward on the point of salary, that he held the 
matter in suspense." When Presbytery met August nth, 
there was placed before it a call for Mr. Kirkpatrick to 
Hanover, Va., presented by Captain Samuel Morris and 
Captain William Craighead, the commissioners from that 
Church. To this Trenton made objection. Towards the 
end of 1 76 1 Trenton Church appeared before Presbytery 
with some advance on the amount of salary previously of- 
fered, and Presbytery expressed their gratification at the 
exertion made to this end, but pronounced the "medium 
proposed to be inadequate." As the commissioners gave 
reason to hope that a still further effort would be made 
for said medium's being increased. Presbytery advised 
Mr. Kirkpatrick to officiate among them until next spring. 
In 1762 the Trenton congregation made an advance 
toward settling a pastor by purchasing a parsonage. In 
1763 a call was made for Mr. Kirkpatrick to become col- 
league with Rev. Ebenezer Prime of Huntington, Long 
Island. The call was irregular and no action was taken.. 
These informalities were corrected, and the call was re- 
newed in 1764. The Trenton people became somewhat 
impatient, but Presbytery replied that there was no satis- 



86 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

factory evidence that Mr. Kirkpatrick could be duly sup- 
ported, if settled, and that he was under no obligation to 
settle among them. Some even claimed that if not settled, 
he should be dismissed, which Presbytery declined to en- 
courage. 

In the Synod, as well as in Presbytery, the minister of 
Trenton was a punctual and active member. In the 
Synod of 1763 he was on committees for education of 
pious students at Princeton, and for the direction and sup- 
port of missionaries on the frontiers. In 1765 New Bruns- 
wick and Metuchen, White Clay Creek and Christiana 
Creek, also Walkill applied to Presbytery for the services 
of Mr. Kirkpatrick with a view to settlement. In April, 
1766, there came once more a formal call from Trenton 
and at the same time one from Amwell. Both congrega- 
tions made their pleas before Presbytery. "Presbytery 
advised Mr. Kirkpatrick to accept the call from Amwell." 

The dilemna was not wholly relieved by this action. At 
a subsequent meeting of Presbytery, two members of the 
Presbytery of Philadelphia were present as correspondents. 
They urged the reconsideration of the vote in April. Their 
plea was that by this action a most important Church 
would be so discouraged as to be prevented from future ap- 
plications to Presbytery. The matter being thus opened 
afresh, the Presbytery at six o'clock of the following morn- 
ing resumed the discussion, and consented to adjourn to 
the next month at Trenton, and there re-consider their de- 
cision. The congregations of Trenton and Amwell were 
notified of the opportunity of being heard. On the 24th 
of June, the parties were again present. The Presbytery 
were unwilling to decide. They placed both calls into the 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 87 

hands of Mr. Kirkpatrick, and told him to make his choice. 
He decided for Amwell" 

Following this decision Presbytery made arrangements 
for his installation at Amwell. This took place the second 
Wednesday of August, 1766. 

To Mr. Kirkpatrick it is believed, belongs the honor 
of being the first Stated Clerk of Presbytery, to which he 
was elected October 23rd, 1766. 

In 1767 he was elected a Trustee of the College of N. 
J., from which he had graduated ten years previously. In 
1769, he was both Treasurer and Clerk of Presbytery. He 
was also Clerk of Synod, and in 1769 was chosen Moder- 
ator of Synod in Philadelphia, and a member of the Pres- 
bytery's committee to draft a memorial to obtain funds 
for the college at Princeton. This eminently useful and 
busy pastor had but a short career. He died in Amwell on 
the 8th of September, 1769, not yet forty-three years of 
age. His body was buried in front of the pulpit of the 
"Old House," in yonder cemetery where our Church 
stood for one hundred years. Over the grave of this pas- 
tor is placed a granite slab, which, together with the in- 
scription, is in excellent preservation, and is as follows : 
"Here lieth the body of the 
Rev. William Kirkpatrick, 
Late Pastor of this Church, 
who died in the 43rd year of his age. Reader, wouldst 
thou know his character for good. 

Think what a man, a Christian, a minister of the Gos- 
pel, a Friend, a Husband, a Father, a Master should be; 
For in imitating this pattern (if justly drawn) thou shalt 
imitate him, and with him, shalt with distinguished honor, 



88 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

attain to the resurrection of the just." Says Rev. J. P. 
W. Blattenberger tradition represents Mr. Kirkpatrick 
as an eloquent man and distinguished for his piety. The 
late Dr. John Hall of Trenton, to whom we are indebted 
for the larger part of what we have said of Mr. Kirk- 
patrick, quotes in 1857 from a venerable mother in Israel, 
aged ninety-seven, who, has a distinct recollection of his 
personal appearance. She describes him as being above 
the average size, but not corpulent; grave, dignified and 
commanding in his aspect, and of most engaging address. 

We are deeply impressed by what Mr. Kirkpatrick ac- 
complished in the short period of twelve years from grad- 
uation. He was evidently a man of great ability, and 
marvellous versatility of talent. And there still lingers a 
charm about his exalted character, and thorough consecra- 
tion to the interests of the Church, such as is seldom felt. 
And now in 1907, while reversing this history, I wish to 
add that having studied the lives of all the pastors of this 
Church, as fully as material allowed, Rev. William 
Kirkpatrick impresses me as the ablest man, all in all, who 
filled the pastoral office in this Church. 

Early in Mr. Kirkpatrick's pastorate, occurred Novem- 
ber 5th, 1767, the death of Governor Reading, eighty-one 
years of age. An obituary of Governor Reading was pub- 
lished at the time in the Pennsylvania Gazette to which 
reference has already been made, as evidently written by 
Mr. Kirkpatrick. And the communion cups given by 
Governor Reading date from this pastorate. The names 
of the following elders are gleaned from the records of 
Presbytery, as representing the Church at Presbytery while 
Mr. Kirkpatrick was the pastor, viz., April 19th, 1768, 



THE COLONIAL PERIOD 89 

Abraham Le Rue; May 20th, 1768, Jacob Ruder; Octo- 
ber 1 8th, 1768, Peter Wilson; November 16th, 1768, 
William Norcross; April 18th, 1769, Alexander White. 
In this connection, there is another name deserving of 
mention. It is that of Joseph Reed, who died in Am- 
well, 1774. In his will, he mentions the children of his 
brother, Andrew, the father of General Joseph Reed, who 
came to Amwell in 1759 and died in 1769. Joseph left 
£30 to Princeton College in addition to £20 previously- 
given. He also left £50 to the First and Second Amwell 
Churches each, and directed that his body should be in- 
terred in the Old Presbyterian House burying ground. 



PERIOD II. 

The Intermediate, or Period of Conflict with 
the Mother Country, i 776-1820. 



PERIOD II. 

THE FOURTH PASTOR WAS REV. JOHN WARFORD, 
I776-I787. 

After the death of Mr. Kirkpatrick, the two Churches 
of Amwell remained without a pastor for about seven 
years, during which time they were served by supplies. 
The Rev. Samuel Kennedy, pastor at Basking Ridge from 
1 75 1 to 1787 is most frequently mentioned among these 
supplies. 

Mr. Kennedy was at once a clergyman, a teacher, and a 
physician. Rev. William Mackey Tennent is another of 
these supplies. The minutes of the Presbytery of Phila- 
delphia May 17th, 1 77 1, say "Mr. Tennent, a candidate 
under the care of the Presbytery of Lewis Town, and who 
is now in these parts, is requested to supply Amwell as 
many Sabbaths as he can, between this time and the next 
Presbytery." Mr. Tennent was a son of the Rev. Charles 
Tennent and a grandson of the Rev. William Tennent. 
He died while pastor of Abington, Pa., in 18 10. Our his- 
tory will have impressed you with the fact that there was, 
and had been from the beginning of the Church in this 
country, a great scarcity of ministers of the gospel. To 
supply that need, and to evangelize the American Indians 
were the chief objects of Christian beneficence at that 
time, and up to the early part of the present century. 
While Mr. Tennent was supplying Amwell a very lib- 
eral collection was taken at that church in 1772 for the 
education of candidates for the ministry. The subject was 
discussed at Presbytery meeting at Kingston October 8th, 



94 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

1 771. It was then resolved to notify all the Churches of 
this matter. Mr. Tennent was directed to present the 
subject to the vacant Amwell Church presumably both 
Churches. The report to Presbytery at Trenton April 
14th, 1772, says the subscriptions amounted to £114, 
17s. 6d, paid £87, 7s, 6d. This was the largest sum sub- 
scribed except at Bedminster, and the largest paid by £25. 

The fourth pastor of this Church was the Rev. John 
Warford. Mr. Warford graduated at Princeton College 
in 1774. He was licensed by the Presbytery of New 
Brunswick in 1775. He received a call to the Amwell 
Churches April 3rd, 1776. He was ordained and installed 
at what in the minutes, is called the Upper House, mean- 
ing Amwell second, July 31st, 1776 

At this ordination and installation of Mr. Warford, the 
Rev. Elihu Spencer, successor of Rev. William Kirkpat- 
rick as pastor of the Trenton First Church, presided, and 
preached the sermon. We must not overlook the fact that 
these interesting services held July 31st, 1776, occurred 
in the same month in which the Fathers of the Republic 
signed and sent forth the Declaration of Independence. 

Mr. Warford had graduated only two years before the 
Nation's birthday at Princeton College, of which the 
President, Rev. John Witherspoon, D. D., was at the 
same time a member of the continental Congress and but 
a few days previously, had pledged his property, his life 
and his reputation, in advocating and signing that immor- 
tal document. It goes without saying that "patriotism 
was in the air." 

What specific utterances if any on the state of the 
country were expressed either by the Presbytery or the 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 95 

congregation at this time, have perished with the lost rec- 
ords of the Church. But the numerous military titles 
born by members of the Church and congregation during 
the "Struggle for independence," and the records else- 
where preserved of efficient service rendered to the cause 
by her members, abundantly prove the Churches abound- 
ing patriotism. Members of the Reading family, as al- 
ready shown, were conspicuous in the service of their 
country. Other names will occur to the reader or be pre- 
sented in order as we proceed. The cemetery bears its 
witness to these in many cases though not always. 

There were many, doubtless, like the Mattisons, an- 
cestors of Mrs. Elizabeth Bonnell, widow of Vice-Chan- 
cellor Van Fleet, who when I chanced to ask her what of- 
ficial positions these ancestors of hers had filled, said, "Oh, 
they just fought and bled for their country." As we look 
back to-day and recall their devoted fidelity under trials 
hard to be born we count this honor enough surely. 

However we are especially concerned with the Church 
itself, and her record. We can well conceive that the 
struggle for national freedom, imposed burdens numerous 
and heavy to be born, upon the Church in her own sphere 
of action, but without definite facts before us, this concep- 
tion will come far short of the actual condition. Bear in 
mind that Mr. Warford had been installed the same 
month in which the Declaration of Independence had been 
made. From that time onward the whole country was in- 
tensely occupied with national affairs. He was only the 
fourth pastor installed over this church and but twenty- 
eight years from the installation of the first one. The 
seven years immediately preceding this installation — the 



96 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Church had been without a pastor, in which condition a 
church is uniformly losing more or less of its vital force. 
Two of these former pastors had died on the field, after a 
period of only three years service each. This undoubtedly 
indicates great hardships and exposures connected with the 
service. These hardships often befel the membership as 
truly as the pastor. 

These difficulties were greatly augmented by the state of 
the finances of the colonies, diminishing as this did the 
resources of the Church. Added to this, the Church was 
never fully finished and consequently although the Church 
building had been on its foundation only thirty-seven 
years, it was already needing repairs. The Rev. Mr. 
Warford was called on a salary of £100 per annum from 
the two Amwell Churches, £50 to be paid in semi-annual 
payments. 

The congregation had from the first provided a parson- 
age for their pastor. We learned this, as you will recall 
from the object stated in ordering a lottery to be held in 
1749. This occurred before there was a pastor on the 
ground. 

Again in our oldest subscription paper that of 1753, 
there is a vigorous effort made to supply this need. When 
the parsonage was secured, there was connected with it, a 
piece of land which they always speak of as a plantation. 
When the pastor Rev. William Kirkpatrick died in 1769, 
his widow Margaret Kirkpatrick, with her two children, 
was allowed to remain in the parsonage free of rent, so 
long as not needed by a successor to Mr. Kirkpatrick. This 
was indeed becoming and generous treatment. 

The generosity, however, received a spot on the feast 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1 820 97 

of chanty. At the annual meeting of the congregation 
April 22nd, 1773, it was mentioned that leave had been 
given Mrs. Kirkpatrick in April, 1770, to occupy the par- 
sonage free of rent until the congregation should settle 
another minister. At the meeting now held, considering 
their former action, they think the minute before made 
was not fully expressive of the true intent of the vote then 
taken. That intent was, that Mrs. Kirkpatrick might 
have leave to occupy the parsonage for one year free of 
rent, unless a minister should be called, and it is the sense 
of this meeting that Mrs. Kirkpatrick ought to pay a rea- 
sonable rent to the said congregation since April, 1771, 
and that Mr. Mattison serve Mrs. Kirkpatrick with this 
minute. 

Mr. Mattison reported that he had agreed with Mrs. 
Kirkpatrick, "that as she has put up two hundred rails 
within two years, if she buys and puts up five hundred 
more rails this year, it shall be in full for the rent of two 
years last past." Also agreed by Mrs. Kirkpatrick to give 
ten pounds paper money for ye year, and to have ye privi- 
lege of sowing ye field over ye brook with winter grain. 
But amid the present stringency and impending hardships 
there occurred a charming piece of romance connected 
with Mr. Warford and the inmates of the parsonage. 

When Rev. John Warford came to Amwell fresh from 
his studies at Princeton, unlike most young clergymen of 
more recent times, he seems to have been free from all en- 
tangling alliances. Once on the field, he took in the situ- 
ation. It was not in his heart to displace Mrs. Kirkpatrick 
and her children, by bringing a wife to the parsonage. He 
did the vastly better thing. He went to the parsonage 



98 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

for a wife. So in due time, he and Margaret, the widow 
of the Rev. William Kirkpatrick were united in holy wed- 
lock. I am sure a new joy came into that parsonage from 
that union, the exact date of which I have not been able 
to discover. 

We may be equally sure, that notwithstanding the 
stringency of the times, and the impending hardships and 
privations awaiting the pastor, he found unfailing help 
and encouragement in this wife whose wise management 
and resourcefulness, have already been manifest. And for 
the impending hardships, they had not long to wait. 

As previously stated the minute book of the trustee and 
congregation is no longer in existence, but from 1779 we 
have some unengrossed minutes of congregational action, 
also several lists of pewholders and other subscription pa- 
pers. In such a minute dated Jan. 21st, 1779, we have 
the record of the following action: "Whereas the Prices of 
Country produce are much risen to what they were when 
the Rev. Mr. Warford settled in Amwell, when his con- 
gregations agreed to pay him a salary of one hundred 
pounds per annum, to which we respectively subscribed 
or engaged to pay. We who had subscribed or taken seats 
in order to pay the salary, now engage to make up our re- 
spective engagements in produce, at the price they respec- 
tively bore when we made such engagements. Or to pay 
as much money as will purchase such, or so much produce. 
And this to commence from October last past. Witness 
our hands the 21st January, 1779. 

Jasper Smith. 

The prices prevailing in 1776 are then annexed — Wheat 
7/, which means 7 shillings; Rye 3/9, is three shillings 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1 820 99 

nine pence; Oats at 2/, Corn 3/6, Buckwheat 2/, Hay 6/ 
per ton, best sort. Of course this was the coinage of the 
Mother country. It will be of interest to see the names 
of the persons making this agreement. They are as fol- 
lows: 

Arthur Gray, Samuel Carman, David Jones, Samuel 
Furman, David Bishop, Garret Schenck, Abm. Devemer, 
James Stout, Captain Peter Phillips, Cornelius Stout 
Major, Samuel Hill, John Phillips, Thomas Reading Ma- 
jor, David Bartron, Charles Reading Captain, John Read- 
ing Captain, son of David; Wm. Abbit, Tunis Quick, 
Wm. Schenck, Abrm. Williamson, Peter Prall, Thomas 
Lowney, Isaac Hill, James Stout, Jacob Mattison, Jas. 
Hankinson, Jr., John Hankinson, Thomas Wilson, Jona- 
than Pidcock, Jacob Bowman, Walter Wilson, Thomas 
Burrows, Abraham Hagaman, Thomas Hankinson, Dan- 
iel Wilson and surely Jasper Smith who drew up the pa- 
per to which he signs his name as here given, considered 
himself a signer to its obligation. From this date down to 
the forming of the Church at Flemington, he was the most 
active man in the Church. A sketch of his life is given 
by Dr. Mott in his history of the Church at Flemington. 
It may only be stated here that he was a lawyer and to 
his care as a lawyer, we owe the preservation of these 
subscription papers to which we are indebted for the valu- 
able information they furnish of this interesting period of 
the Church's history. On the same day January 21st, 
1779, on which the above action was taken, we find an- 
other paper was circulated on which generous subscrip- 
tions were made. Although the purpose of this act was 
not then accomplished, we quote a few of its statements. 



too AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

The paper opens as follows: Whereas a good parsonage is 
of great consequence towards supporting the Gospel and 
the place in Amwell wherein the Rev. Mr. Warford lives, 
being small, and but little wood on it, and not capable of 
much improvement, it is judged best by many to sell it, 
and purchase a plantation if to be had, that may be suitable 
and convenient. The persons named to receive the money 
and make the purchase were — David Chambers, Nathan- 
iel Hunt, Jonathan Pidcock, David Jones, Tunis Quick, 
Jr., David Bishop, Cornelius Stout and Jasper Smith. 

From the first subscription paper after this meeting of 
January 2ist, 1779, we learn that that meeting was a joint 
one of the two Amwell Churches, as undoubtedly the 
above names represent both Churches. Although the sub- 
scriptions as far as made were most generous, there were 
only eight subscribing, and this movement to sell the old 
parsonage was abandoned, but not the main movement to 
secure better accommodations for the pastor. 

We are especially interested in this paper, because it as- 
serts that Mr. Warford was living in the parsonage Janu- 
ary 2 1st, 1779. This gives us a strong probability that the 
marriage between Mr. Warford and Mrs. Kirkpatrick 
had taken place previous to that date. 

May 10th, 1779, another subscription paper was circu- 
lated in the interests of the parsonage. I shall venture to 
quote this paper also in part, because it seems to me that 
the tenacity with which the members of old Amwell ad- 
hered to their purpose, is truly refreshing. This paper 
reads — "Whereas the parsonage in possession of the Rev. 
Mr. Warford in Amwell is small, the committee of the 
two congregations * * * have hired a plantation ad- 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 101 

joining the parsonage to be used with it, in order the bet- 
ter to support the minister. They agree to pay one hun- 
dred and fifty pounds rent for the year, a part of which 
plantation is since rented out (so as to ease the congrega- 
tion) at fifty pounds, leaving fifty pounds a year for each 
congregation to raise by subscription. And as these con- 
gregations have heretofore been noted for their zeal in 
supporting the Gospel, and the hiring of this place, being 
absolutely necessary for that purpose, the Committee have 
the highest confidence of the approbation of the congrega- 
tions in their proceedings. * * * And any overplus 
money, is to be laid out in repairing the parsonage or the 
Meeting Houses as the committee may think best. The 
persons appointed to receive the subscriptions, were Jas- 
per Smith, Cornelius Stout, Tunis Quick and David 
Bishop. There were two of these papers circulated (in 
Amwell First as it appears). There were twenty-one sub- 
scribers on this paper, and the amount subscribed was six- 
ty-three pounds two shillings and six pence. I shall not 
give the names, because they all and many others appear 
on the first paper next circulated, for the salary. That is, 
the First Church secured on their subscription circulated 
for the first time to raise funds for renting a plantation, 
thirteen pounds, two shillings and six pence more then the 
£50 required for the purpose. We must now go back a 
xnonth and give an account of the new methods of paying 
the salary, each Church paid £50 per annum in two equal 
payments, April and October. April 23rd, 1779, atten- 
tion was called to the fact that the salary was due for six 
months past and collectors sent out. 

On this first paper there are sixty-two subscribers, with 



102 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



the amounts each had been accustomed to pay in the cur- 
rency of the Mother Country, but which they had agreed 
to pay either in that currency or in produce at the price 
prevailing before the war, or in full value in continental 
currency. April 23rd, 1779, the collectors were notified 
that the half year's salary settled on the pews at the rate 
of £50 for the year, was now due, and they were urged to 
collect the same as soon as possible. It is also stated that 
there had been an addition made at the rate of nine pence 
in the pound, to each subscriber, to meet the deficiency 
arising from a number of vacant pews. We add the full 
list of these subscribers or pew holders, their amounts and 
in what each paid, whether money or produce : 





£ s 


d 




John Reading . . . 


10 


4 




Joseph Hankinson 


10 


4 


Received £9.18.9 in cash. 
That is in colonial cur- 
rency. — John Warford. 


David Bartron .. 


14 


9 


Promised wheat after har- 
vest. 


Thomas Reading 


5 


2 


Delivered 2^2 bushels of 



Isaac Hill 

John Reading. . . 
Jasper Smith 



corn at Griggs' mill. 
The overplus to be on 
next collection. 

097 Delivered 15 lbs. of flax 
to Mr. Warford. 

097 Promised wheat after har- 
vest. 

14 5 Not legible. 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 103 



Samuel Hill . . 



o 8 10 



Richard Phillips, o 8 10 



Rulif Schenck ... o 8 O 



C. Reading, Capt. o 10 4 



Henry Bailie. . .. 
Thomas Lowrey. 
Mary Carman . . 
Cornelius Stout.. 



Thomas Stout. . 
Hannah Clark. , 
James Clark 
James Stout 
Samuel Furman . 

James Stout, Jr. 
Jos. Moorehead. 



052 
1 o 8 
o 8 10 
o 8 10 



045 
045 
045 
096 
096 

096 
079 



Delivered 1^ bushels of 
wheat at James Stouts' 
mill for Mr. Warford. 

Received 4 5 dollars 
towards this and next 
half year's salary. — 
John Warford. 

Promised 1 bushel and 4 
quarts wheat after har- 
vest. 

To deliver \y 2 bushels of 
wheat at Jno. Griggs' 
mill. 

To work to this amount 
at the old price. 

Received 53 dollars in 
cash. — John Warford. 

Delivered 4 bushels of 
oats to Mr. Warford. 

Promised to deliver 1% 
bushels of wheat at Jno. 
Stout's mill. 



Promised wheat. 
Delivered 1 *A 



bushels 



wheat at Stout's mill. 
Promised wheat. 



104 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Arthur Gray .... on 3 



Joseph Mattison. 058 



Moses Estey, Jr. o 5 8 



John Henry. ... on 3 
Joachim Griggs, o 10 5 



Samuel Griggs., o 10 4 



James Furman 
Isaac Gray . . . 



o 14 3 



Jacob Mattison.. 096 

Rich. Hankinson. o 3 n 
John Haviland ..079 



to deliver 1 ^ 

of wheat or a 

more at Griggs' 



Promised 

bushels 

little 

mill. 
Received of Jos. Mattison 

£5.8 in cash, and id, 

Mr. Warford the same 

July. 

27 dollars 7d for this and 
next half year's salary, 
and Estey moved away. 

Promised wheat. 

To deliver iy 2 bushels of 
wheat at James Stout's 
mill. 

To deliver 2 bushels rye at 
James Stout's mill, to 
be 7-6, 2-10 to be paid 
next collection. 

Delivered to Mr. War- 
ford 3 bushels of oats. 

Promised to deliver at 
Griggs' mill 2 bushels 
of wheat. 

Delivered to Mr. War- 
ford 1 bushel of wheat 
and one of rye. 

Paid Mr. Warword £3- 
15 in cash. 

Promised a pair of shoes. 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 105 

The following names belong to members South of the 
Neshanic, as those already given are on the north side 
or in the Flemington district. This distinction runs 
through the subscription papers although there may be 
individual exceptions. The old subscriptions are here giv- 
en, but how they paid is not stated : 

£ s d 

Lewis Chamberlin o 8 O 

John Schenck, Capt o 8 O 

Stout Sutphin o 4 o 

George Hyde o 11 o 

David Bishop o 9 7 

William Schenck o 9 7 

Cobus Johnson's widow O 9 7 

Sarah Williamson o 410 

John Sutphin o 8 o 

George Prall O 8 o 

John Williamson O 4 o 

Tunis Quick o 11 o 

Abraham Prall o 11 3 

John Prall o 5 8 

Benjamin Prall o 5 8 

Jared Sexton O 5 8 

Douck Sutphen o 5 8 

Peter Prall o 10 5 

Abraham Williamson O 10 5 

Jacob Sutphin o 8 8 

Derick Sutphen o 5 8 

Guisbert Gulick o 8 8 

Garret Schenck o 7 9 

Isaac Prall o 8 8 



io6 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Jacob Kershaw o 3 11 

Benjamin Johnson 010 5 

The subscription paper for the next half year for the 
Flemington district has not been found. Only a few 
items need be given for the same period from the paper 
circulated in the district south of the Neshanic. The sub- 
scribers and their amounts remain the same as before given 
excepting that for Guisbert Gulick, we have his estate. 
And in the payment by Isaac Prall, whose subscription 
was 8 shilling, 8 pence, we have the Cr. received £17.7.6, 
rate 2]/ 2 bushels of wheat at 20 dollars continental. 

In the collection for October 23rd, 1779, to April 
1780, in the Flemington district, we see evidence of the 
burden of the church from the greater depreciation of the 
currency. In this paper we have collections for salary in 
arrears, and also the current dues together with an in- 
crease of two shillings to the pound, assessed on those who 
hold pews, to make up for the increased number of vacant 
pews. Our list of subscribers remains substantially the 
same, as it was a year before. We only select a few of the 
name, in order to bring out more clearly the state of 
things existing. John Reading 1 1 shillings, and arrearage 
for a year preceding £1.0.8. Received in cash 380 dol- 
lars in full. 

Joseph Hankinson 11 shillings, and arrearage for six 
months, 10 shillings, 4 pence. Received in cash 256 dol- 
lars in full. That is, in the colonial currency they paid 
twelve (12) dollars to the shilling of hard money as they 
termed the English coinage. Thomas Reading 5/6, re- 
ceived sixty-six dollars in full. Jasper Smith 10-2, deliv- 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 107 

ered Mr. Warford two quires of paper at three shillings 
per quire and eighty-six dollars cash in full. 

Isaac Hill 9/4, received flax on last collection overpay 
to 8/7, 9 pence now due. Richard Phillips 9/4, received 7 
lbs. of flax badly cleaned, and <,y 2 lbs. well cleaned. 

Thomas Lowrey, subscription £1.2, received in specie 
£1.2.6. 

Joseph Moorhead 8-3, arrearages for a year preceding 
15-6, received weaving 34 2-3 ells at eight pence per ell, 
£1.3.2. John Haviland 8-3 credit, 1-9 before paid, and 
a pair of shoes 8 shillings. Dr. Jacob Kirkpatrick in his 
reminiscences of fifty years, being at one time pastor of this 
Church, tells also of a pair of shoes extra finish, for Mrs. 
Warford, but that record is no longer to be found. In 
the subscription paper for salary for April to October, 
1780, only the following need be mentioned, Joseph Han- 
kinson, salary 11 shillings, paid by giving 132 dollars; 
Jasper Smith salary is 10-2, pays by sending Mr. War- 
ford 15 lbs. of veal at 2^ pence per lb., making 3 shillings 
!)/> pence and 80 dollars in continental currency. Sam- 
uel Hills' salary 9-4, Mr. Warford receipts for pasturing 
two heifers. 

On the salary list from October, 1781, to April, 1782, 
we have a new subscriber, William Searles, 4-2. In the 
list from October, 1782, to April, 1783, we have in place 
of John Henry, John Henry's estate £1.11.3, showing the 
death of Mr. Henry, and as was the case with many sub 
scribers, that his previous salary had not been paid. Also 
the collector chosen for this period was Isaac Hill, who 
was charged to collect in hard money only. In the direc- 
tion on the previous list the collector, Thomas Reading, 



108 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

was informed that Mr. Warford was in great want of 
money. In the list from October, 1783, to April, 1784, 
Joseph Mattison is credited with 1 5 shillings for a wheel- 
barrow, as part payment of his salary of which there was 
the sum of £2.14.8 in arrears. 

Also in this paper the statement that James Furman had 
moved to Reading Town, and that William Searles had 
moved to Lebanon (twp.). In the list for October, 1784, 
to April, 1785, in addition to the usual heading, we have 
the statement that at a meeting of the congregation held 
April 29th, 1782, it was ordered that to make up the de- 
ficiency arising from the vacant seats, and all deficiency 
since October, 1778, the Church should levy a sufficient 
amount on the seats occupied which would occasion an ad- 
dition of 6-8 in the pound. 

This heavy increase showed again the earnest purpose 
of the church members to sustain the Church. It is the 
more noteworthy, because the action was taken in the 
face of many, and large amounts in arrears. This, too, 
among leading families. Such members as the Readings, 
Griggs, Hills, Stouts and even Thomas Lowrey who 
paid the largest salary at this period, and always in specie, 
are at times in arrears. 

This arrearage, in some cases, was as high as four and 
five pounds, but it was eventually paid.* But we can well 
understand that in doing so there were cases in which the 
burden seemed very heavy, because of the depreciated con- 



*Of several of these in arrears, it should be said the 
heads of families had been many years in the army. 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 109 

dition of the currency. We may be pardoned for illus- 
trating this state of the currency by an example from civic 
affairs. 

Snell's History of Hunterdon Co., informs us that Ara- 
well township before the war paid £100 for keeping the 
poor, and at a later period so great was the depreciation 
that it required £6000 to pay for the same service. 

In the illustrations we have given, our statements have 
been taken from old manuscripts, with subscribers names, 
amounts and how and in what it was paid, just as re- 
corded. 

Besides articles mentioned, we find almost every pro- 
duct of the farm used to pay the pastor's salary, such as 
hay, buckwheat, oats and apples. 

At length the congregation grew weary of this method 
of paying the pastor's salary, and doubtless he did too. 

It was more satisfactory to both to do it, even with the 
depreciated currency of the colony, when it could not be 
done in the specie of the Mother country. 

Amid these struggles for existence, it was very grateful 
to the Churches of Amwell, to be aided, as they were by 
a legacy, even though the amount received was not large. 
This legacy was bequeathed to the Amwell Churches in 
1774. The record reads Samuel Turken, Esq., Executor 
of Joseph Reed, deceased, late of Amwell, Dr. to the 
Churches of Amwell. 

To a legacy bequeathed said Churches by Jo- 
seph Reed, and kept in the hands of S. 
Turken £50.00.0 



no AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Interest on the same from July, 1775, being 
one year after the death of the testator to 
July, 1790 52.10.0 



£102.10.0 
Deduct four years' interest, from July, 1777, 
to July, 1 78 1 , on account of the war, and 
depreciated state of the money 14.00.0 



£88.10.0 
Credits: — Received interest by Rev. Mr. 
Warford, minister of the Churches: 

In favor of the First Church. . . . £10.16.7 
In favor of the Second Church. . 10.16.7 

21. 13.2 



Bal. due £66.16.10 

At a meeting of the members of the corporation of the 
first English Presbyterian Church in Amwell, it was 
agreed that if the above amount as stated, should be paid 
without difficulty, they would agree to remit four's in- 
terest for the reason as above, by order. 

Jasper Smith, President 
of the Corporation of First Church. 

I shall copy another of these papers, because I believe 
it will be of real interest to the members and descendants 
of the Church. You will recall the fact that the old 
Church, used by the congregation as the place of worship 
at the time of which we are writing, stood in the cemetery 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1 820 in 

where sleep the dead of many generations. It was on the 
north side of the old York road, and unlike modern custom 
was placed lengthwise to the road. The entrance was in 
the side facing the road, and the pulpit in the centre on the 
north side. There was a large space in the centre aisle to 
which was carried a large caldron filled with live coals. 
These were obtained from burning logs outside the 
Church. This was the only means of heating the Church 
in the early days of its history. There was neither fire- 
place nor chimney. The fumes rising from these hot 
coals often caused persons sitting in the gallery to faint. 
These facts I have from Peter Young in the ninetieth 
year of his age, whom I visited at the suggestion of Miss 
Kuhl of Brazil. She is a descendant of the Church. Mr. 
Young had lived when a boy, with his maternal grand- 
father, Peter Gano, near Greenville, as Reaville was then 
called. This description will make intelligible the paper 
referred to. This paper contains a list of the pews, and 
the persons occupying them at the time, the paper being 
dated 1785. Remembering the location of the pulpit, 
and the open central space, we can see these ancestor, as 
they were seated for worship. 

On the east of the pulpit north side of the Church: 

No. 1 — John Reading 2, Lesla Bartran 1, Thomas 
Reading Esq. 2. 

No. 2 — Jasper Smith Esq. 2, John R. Reading 1, Dan- 
iel Reading 1. 

No. 3 — Samuel Hill 2, Isaac Hill 2, Richard Hill 1, 
Henry Kennady 2. 

No. 4 — Lewis Chamberlin 2, John Schenck 2, Ruloff 
Schenck 2. 



ii2 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

No. 5— 

West of pulpit, north side : 

No. i — Captain Charles Reading 2, Henry Chapers 2, 
Titus Quick 1. 

No. 2 — William Schenck 3, Dr. Gersham Craven 1, 
John Runyan 1. 

No. 3 — Mary Carmen 2, Cornelius Stout 2, Widow 
of John Stout, Jr., 1. 

No. 4 — Jacob Williamson 2, Amos Haseland 2. 

No. 5— 

Southwest : 

No. 1 — Abram Prall 2, Derick Sutphin 1, James An- 
derson 1. 

No. 2 — Peter Prall 2, Abrm. Williamson 2, Tunis 
Quick 2. 

No. 3 — Samuel Furman 2, Widow Stout 1, Garret 
Schenck 2. 

No. 4 — Jacob Sutphin 2, Ruloff Sutphin 1, Samuel 
Williamson 2. 

No. 5— 

Southeast : 

No. 1 — Arthur Gray 2, John Findly 1, George Clark 1. 

No. 2 — Joachim Griggs 2, Samuel Griggs 2, Peter 
Clover 2. 

No. 3 — Jacob Mattison 2, David Bishop 2, Isaac Prall 
2. 

No. 4 — John Williamson 1, Zenos Lanning 2. 

No. 5 — John Hankinson 1, Edward Cooper 1. 

Following close upon these repeated struggles for main- 
taining the Church, there came to the parsonage and to 
congregation also, a day of great sadness. 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 113 

August 7th, 1786, Hannah, daughter of Rev. William 
and Margaret Kirkpatrick died in the nineteenth year of 
her age. She is described as a charming young woman, 
being possessed of great natural ability, personal beauty 
and most winning manners. Her funeral was attended by 
almost as large a number of people as gathered at the bur- 
ial of her distinguished father. Her grave is covered with 
a horizontal slab, similar to that over her father's grave, 
and the inscription narrating her life and character, occu- 
pies, as does that of her father, a large part of this me- 
morial slab, and bears evidence of having been written by 
the same person, who wrote that to his memory.* 

These graves deserve from this Church sacred regard, 
and should ever be cared for with the same affectionate in- 
terest that children would give to the grave of a parent. 
And I wish to add the same care is due to those of Rev. 
and Mrs. Byram, Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Hull, and that of 
the benefactor of the Church, Mr. Joseph Reed. And 
although the resting place of Gov. Reading has been 
looked after by descendants, there are other members of 
that distinguished family, and the same is true of many 
other graves marking the resting place of those who were 
interested and faithful members of this Church, who have 
no living kindred near at hand to do this service. I think 
it would be an honor to the living to recognize the claim 
and give that care that will keep in respectful condition 
the graves of those who preceded us in this Church, and 



*For many of these facts concerning Rev. William 
Kirkpatrick excepting the memorial slab, I am indebted 
to Dr. John Hall's "Early Settlers near Trenton." 

8 



ii4 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

who gave liberal and faithful service to keep in prosperous 
condition the Church, for those who should follow them, 
in the membership of this Church. We have inherited it 
from them. Let us honor their memory by caring for 
their graves. 

Of the son, William Kirkpatrick, born November 7th, 
1769, we learn from the catalogue of Princeton College 
that he graduated from that college in 1788. He studied 
medicine afterward with the celebrated Dr. Rush, of 
Philadelphia. But he was of so sensitive a nature as to be 
unfitted for the practice of his profession. It is said that 
he was eminently literary in his tastes and pursuits. He 
was of a joyous and pleasant temperament, dignified, easy 
and graceful in manner. I am describing, you will no- 
tice, an cultured Amwell boy and young man of the 
olden time. It is thus we have him in the traditions pre- 
served by Dr. Hall, of Trenton. But the time was now 
at hand for Mr. and Mrs. Warford to leave Amwell. A 
call was presented to Mr. Warford by the Presbyterian 
Church at Salem, New York, September 27th, 1787, in 
pursuance of which his pastoral relation to the Amwell 
Churches was dissolved by the Presbytery of New Bruns- 
wick, October 16th, 1787. The Churches of Amwell, 
as the records of the Presbytery show, expressed great 
unwillingness to part with their pastor. It was only be- 
cause the people of Amwell were unable to provide suita- 
bly for his support, that they consented to his leaving 
them. 

Three unusual facts here present themselves, one, that 
while accepting the call to Salem, Mr. Warford did not 
enter on his labors there until 17S8, and was not installed 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1 820 115 

until July, 1789, and this because of another fact, viz., 
the scarcity of ministers of the Presbyterian faith in that 
part of New York, to perform the service 

Because of this state of things, Mr. Warford did not 
leave Amwell for many months after he ceased to be pas- 
tor. During this time, he served the Amwell Church as 
a supply for twelve Sabbaths. 

As the time approached for Mr. Warford to leave Am- 
well, Jasper Smith called the officers of the Church to- 
gether and made arrangement for final settlement with 
the retiring pastor. 

It will be seen from this settlement with Mr. Warford 
that for the first two years of his pastorate he had been 
paid in full, as payments became due. This is in accord 
with the condition of the Church and its finances, as we 
have surveyed the difficulty of the Church in meeting its 
obligations. The statement then made for settlement by 
Jasper Smith is as follows: 

Dr. — The first English Presbyterian Church in Am- 
well, to Rev. John Warford. 
To salary from October 23rd, 1778, to the 
23 of October, 1787, being nine years at 

fifty pounds per year £450.00.0 

Charged by Mr. Warford for supplies for Oc- 
tober 23, 1787, to October, 1788, — 12 
Sabbaths 24.00.0 

474.00.0 
Cr. to payment 408.15.2 

October 14, bal. due £65.4.10 



n6 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

For this settlement the whole amount paid for each 
pew-holder is credited, summing up the total amount 
paid as above. 

October 15th, 1788, just before Mr. Warford left for 
Salem, a number of the pew-holders agreed to advance the 
money to pay Mr. Warford in full. The effort was only 
partially successful, the sum subscribed for this purpose 
amounting £20.13.1, still leaving a balance of £44.11.9. 
Subsequently other payments were made until January 
29th, 1790, when Mr. Warford gives his receipt to Jas- 
per Smith for £7 15s iod in full. 

Two facts appear in our informal records, which have 
to do with the inability of the Church to support Mr. 
Warford as desired, — one of these is, the great decrease in 
the number of those who took pews in the Church, the 
other, the people were in a measure wearied and ex- 
hausted under the financial conditions of the country and 
by the condition of the Church and the parsonage. Sub- 
scriptions were solicited for these repairs very often dur- 
ing the pastorate. The papers would be headed with the 
statement "Whereas, the parsonage in which Mr. War- 
ford now resides is in a wretched condition, the congrega- 
tion is solicited to subscribe liberally to repair the same." 
Then again it would be "both Church and parsonage." 
Such subscriptions were taken in 1779 in 1782, in 1783., 
in 1784, an 1786, and again in 1789 after Mr. Warford 
had been dismissed. 

The location of the Church was also unsatisfactory, 
especially to that part of the congregation about Flem- 
ington. While various remedies were attempted for the 
relief of the difficulty, no one of them proved satisfactory 
enough to secure its adoption. 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 117 

At length Mr. Warford took his departure to his new 
field of labor, and William, son of Rev. Wm. Kirk- 
patrick, evidently accompanied the family thither. How 
he was occupied, for a number of year, we do not know, 
but in 1806, he was appointed superintendent of the Salt 
Springs, and moved to Salina, now the first ward of Syra- 
cuse. 

In 1808 he was elected to the House of Representa- 
tives, this being the last Congress under Jefferson's ad- 
ministration. So this sensitive, but scholarly boy of the 
Amwell parsonage, at last reached a place of honor and 
responsibility. He died from cholera in 1823. 

Of Mr. Warford himself a closing word is also fitting. 
In addition to what has been said, he was the first pastor 
of the Church at Salem. His heart was enlisted in the 
cause of Christian philanthropy and missions. Quoting 
from a letter furnished me in 1898 by the late Edward P. 
Sprague, Ph.D., D. D., at that time pastor of the Church 
at Salem, he says from investigations he had made, it 
was believed he was born at Martha's vineyard in 1745. 
His graduation from Princeton in 1774, licensure by 
Presbytery of New Brunswick, October 10th, 1775, and 
ordination and installation at Amwell July 31st, 1776, 
have already been given. Dr. Sprague continues "He 
died May 19th, 1802, in the fifty-seventh year of his age. 
Of his pastorate here, there remains little formal record, 
but it seems to have been everyway successful. He ap- 
pears to have been a man of earnest devotion, scholarly 
and able. He took a deep interest in the foundation here 
of Washington Academy (which still continues) and he 
was one of its first Board of Trustees. Perhaps no more 



n8 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

correct estimate can be given him than the inscription on 
his tombstone here. He was an affectionate pastor, hus- 
band, parent and friend. An evangelical preacher, meek 
in his disposition, and grave in his address." Of Mrs. 
Warford we regret that all records have perished. We 
feel sure, however, that she has an imperishable record on 
high. 

Appendix No. i. 

As a fitting appendix to this history of the Church dur- 
ing the Revolution, we insert here a description of what is 
called A Roll for Swearing the Trustees. This roll is 
on a parchment seven inches wide and two feet long, and 
is to-day in excellent condition. 

The contents of the Roll are as follows: A Roll for 
Swearing the Trustees of the First English Presbyterian 
Church in the Township of Amwell, in the County of 
Hunterdon and State of New Jersey, being chosen pur- 
suant to a Law of the said State, made and passed the 
sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord, one 
thousand seven hundred and eighty-six. 

I do sincerely profess and swear that I do not 

hold myself bound to bear allegiance to the King of Great 
Britain, So help me God. 

I do sincerely profess and swear that I do, and 

will bear true faith and allegiance to the Government es- 
tablished in this State under the authority of the people. 
So help me God. 

Jasper Smith, Derrick Sutphin, Abrm. Williamson, 
Lewis Chamberlin, Thos. Reading, Arthur Gray, Tunis 
Quick. 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 119 

Sworn the twenty-fifth day of December, Anno Domini 
1786, before me, Jos. Reading, one of ye Justices of 
ye peace for ye county of Hunterdon. 
State of New Jersey, Hunterdon County, ss. : 

Be it remembered that on the twenty-fifth day of De- 
cember in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hun- 
dred and eighty-six personally came and appeared before 
me Joseph Reading, Esq., one of the Justices assigned 
to keep the peace in and for the county afds. Jasper 
Smith and Thomas Reading, Esquires, Messrs. Arthur 
Gray, Tunis Quick, Sen., son of Tunis, Derrick Sutphin, 
Abraham Williamson and Lewis Chamberlin, having 
been chosen Trustees of and for the first English Presby- 
terian Church in the Township of Amwell in the County 
of Hunterdon afds., who being duly sworn on the holy 
Evangelists of Almighty God, do severally depose that 
they would execute the Trust reposed in them during 
their continuance in office, with fidelity and according to 
the best of their understanding. 

Here the several names are given as above. 
Sworn the day and year above. Jos. Reading. 

Abraham Prall, Tunis Quick, John Schenck, Enos 
Laning, Derrick Sutphin, Amos Hoagland, Henry Kan- 
nedy. 

Sworn before me the 19th day of March, 1792. Joseph 
Reading. 

Jacob Schenck, Titus Quick, Ralph Schenck. 
Sworn before me the 21st day of March, 1803. David 
Bishop, Justice of Peace. 

Interesting as the above oath is, as giving the state of 
feeling at the close of the war, it becomes more interesting 



120 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

to us now, in view of the contrast, as shown by the mu- 
tual good feeling and friendship between these two na 
tions giving us a prophecy of lasting peace and mutual 
helpfulness. So may it be. This has illustration in the 
Appendix No. 2. 

Appendix No. 2 — Captain Schenck. 

Our scanty records make absolutely no allusion to the 
struggle for independence, in progress at this time, except 
the phrase, ' 'Whereas, since prices are much risen because 
of the war," which occurs in the subscription papers of 
1779, as already given, and excepting also, military titles, 
born by many active members of the Church. But from 
other sources we have learned and also made record of 
such service rendered by members of this congregation 
for the country's cause, particularly of members of the 
Reading family. To this list of the patriots of the con- 
gregation it is proper, at this stage of the Church's his- 
tory, that the name of Captain John Schenck should be 
added. 

Captain Schenck was born in 1750 and died in 1823. 
His grave is in our cemetery with the title and dates 
above given, and the statement added that it was he who 
shot the British officer Cornet Geary. This took place 
on the 14th of December, 1776. It is believed that Cor- 
net Geary is the only British officer killed within the pres- 
ent limits of Hunterdon Co. Cornet Geary was a mem- 
ber of the 1 6th (the Queen's Light Dragoons) under 
command of Col. Harcourt. 

Cornet Geary was ordered to proceed from Penning- 
ton, where his Regiment was quartered, to Flemington to 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 121 

learn, if possible, the location of the Continental Army, 
which under Washington, was marching through the 
northern part of New Jersey, after the evacuating of 
Fort Lee. Failing in this, Geary and his men destroyed 
a lot of arms and ammunition found in the Old Lowrey 
Store, near the present site of the Presbyterian Church. 
After this they started on their return. Captain Schenck 
had seen them as they marched through Ringoes early in 
the morning. Hurriedly gathering a few citizens with 
such arms as they could find, Captain Schenck, one of 
Washington's soldiers home on furlough, marched his lit- 
tle band toward Flemington to a thick wood opposite 
what is now known as Kimball's crossing. As the enemy 
approached, Captain Schenck ordered his men to fire. 
Cornet Geary formed his men in the road, and returned 
the fire. Captain Schenck ordered his men to fire again. 
Cornet Geary fell to the ground dead. His men fled. 
The Americans buried the body near where it fell. It 
was reported subsequently that the British soldiers had re- 
turned and carried off the body. Many believed this, al- 
though through all the years the grave had been known 
by people of the neighborhood. It lies on the northern 
line of the farm now belonging to John Ent, and his son- 
in-law, Howard Sutphin. Theodore Bellis, now of Flem- 
ington, the best posted man in this part of Hunterdon Co. 
in local affairs, determined to settle the question about the 
remains of the British officer. For this purpose on the 
1 8th of May, 1891, he conducted certain members of the 
Hunterdon Co. Historical Society to this grave and 
opened it in their presence. This resulted in finding a 
human skeleton, and four silver buttons marked Q. L. D. 



122 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

1 6, or Queen's Light Dragoons. This established the 
fact that this was the grave of Cornet Geary. The fam- 
ily of Lieut. Geary have been informed of this fact. Re- 
cently a lady in Utica, acting for the family, ordered a 
monument to be placed at the grave. This was recently 
done by Reardon and son of Flemington. The monu- 
ment is of boulder design and of rock taken from the 
vicinity of the grave. The inscription is as follows: 
In Memory of 
Cornet Francis Geary 
1 6 (The Queen's) Light Dragoons, 
Born 1752. 
Killed in action here 
in the service of King George III, December 14, 1776. 
Eldest son of Admiral Sir Francis Geary, Baronet. 
Erected in 1907 by his great nephew 
Sir William Navil M. Geary, Baronet. 
Now, the struggle long ago ended, we join in tributes 
of esteem for each other's noble sons. 

Captain Schenck, belonging to a very numerous family 
in the early history of our Church, has an honored place 
in our country's history, and in the history of our Church 
as well. Our records show him to have been exceeding- 
ly active and liberal for the Church's welfare and the 
Master's honor. 

THE FIFTH PASTOR WAS REV. THOMAS GRANT, 
I79I-I809. 

Although the reason assigned by the Amwell Churches 
for consenting to the removal of Mr. Warford from them 
was their inability to give him proper support, we find 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 123 

these Churches very soon realized their need of a pastor, 
and that they must, in some way meet the demand. Here 
again we discover the efficient leadership of Jasper Smith, 
president of the corporation of Amwell First. In April, 
1789, Mr. Smith makes a report to Presbytery, saying, 
however, in the introduction of the same, that this duty 
belongs to Elder Mr. Abraham Prall. He then adds "of 
late years a number have fallen off from our Church, 
and many others are very cool about supporting the Gos- 
pel. This no doubt will greatly encourage the enemy. 
What then? Are we to give up? No. I hope the Rev- 
erend Presbytery will supply us more cheerfully with their 
ablest preachers, that in the use of powerful means, we 
may regain what we have lost, and turn the zeal in favor 
of the Church." Surely a Church is favored, that has 
among her members a man so fully awake to her interest 
as Mr. Smith shows himself to be; and who lays empha- 
sis on the able and faithful preaching of the Gospel in or- 
der to arouse men to a sense of their duty. It is not al- 
ways so. As a result of this request we find that the sup- 
plies for the vacant Churches besides Mr. Warford, while 
still residing among them, were Dr. Witherspoon, Mr. 
Hannah, Mr. Armstrong, of Trenton, Mr. Clark, father 
of Rev. John F. Clark, subsequently a pastor of our 
Church and others. 

Dr. John Witherspoon supplied the Amwell pulpit on 
different occasions, during the time the Church was with- 
out a pastor. June 21st, 1789, he preached and adminis- 
tered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The Treasur- 
er is credited with paying him £3 for this service. Again 
November 1st, of the same year he preached at Amwell 



124 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

and received <£i.ios. These were the sums paid at this 
period to any preacher rendering these respective services. 
In our day it would be deemed a distinguished honor to 
any Church to have a man so noted as Dr. Witherspoon, 
president of Princeton College, and a signer of the Declar- 
ation of Independence fill its pulpit. Notwithstanding 
the increased difficulty of caring for the Church without a 
pastor, we find the members of the congregation or of the 
corporation as they call themselves, show their old-time 
determination to sustain the Church. The salary list 
circulated for collecting salary for the six months ending 
October 23rd, 1790, has the following heading, Whereas 
the salary ordered to be levied and raised every six 
months for paying supplies sent by Presbytery for the 
First English Presbyterian Church in Amwell was due 
October 23rd, 1790. They add to be paid in Gold or 
Silver money. You will notice this improved condition 
of currency is in the second year of Washington's admin- 
istration. This paper is sent out with substantially the 
same names as were on the lists all through the war, but 
it is evident many of the persons so listed, do not pay. 
This paper is arranged as former ones, by having three 
spaces ruled in which the subscribers may insert as they 
choose pounds, shillings and pence. In addition to these 
spaces for current expenses, there are adjoining these, 
three other spaces, ruled off for arrearages. And these ar- 
rearages, generally much larger than the half yearly salary- 
are almost uniformly paid, even by those who have sur- 
rendered their seats in the Church, and are not paying for 
current expenses. If they decline to pay up the arrears 
Jasper Smith adds a note to the collector's paper saying 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 125 

"Mr. signed Mr. Warford's call and he must pay" 

so that the money may be refunded to those who advanced 
it. As a result of insisting on their obligation to the cor- 
poration, the arrearage collected on this paper of 1790 is 
£41,7.8, while for the current expenses it is only £13.16.2. 
Under this efficient management of the affairs of the 
Church, and the co-operation of the Presbytery, the pul- 
pit was supplied with preachers during the time the 
Church was without a pastor. 

Among these supplies for the pulpit, we find the name 
of Mr. Grant in 1790, who supplied the Churches for 
nine Sabbaths previous to his installation April 1st, 1791. 
Jasper Smith and many others in and about Flemington, 
sent a statement to Mr. Grant, and a request that should 
he be settled over the Amwell Churches, to preach one 
fourth of his time at Flemington, either in the Court 
House or in the Baptist Church, which could be secured 
when not in use by the people of that Church, or else in 
private houses. For such service they agree to pay him 
their proportionate part. For some unknown reason this 
failed also. Our subscription papers, hitherto circulated 
have revealed to us the fact, that the part of the congre- 
gation north of the Neshanic, or the Flemington branch 
was stronger numerically and financially, than the part 
south of the Neshanic. It is not surprising that it was 
next proposed to tear down the old House (Amwell 
First), and that a new Church be erected at Flemington, 
which was more central. This proposition failed to se- 
cure a sufficient number of supporters and was aband- 
oned. 

June 23rd, 1 79 1, a paper was circulated and signed by 



126 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

fifty-five persons, residing in and about Flemington, re- 
questing Presbytery to form them into a church. Very 
many of these signers were members of the Amwell First 
Church and congregation. Three of these signers, viz. 
Jasper Smith, Thomas Reading and Arthur Gray, were 
Trustees of Amwell First. These trustees informed the 
members of the Amwell First Corporation, August 27th, 
that this application would be laid before Presbytery at 
its next meeting in October at Pennington. Jasper Smith 
appeared before Presbytery in behalf of the petitioners, re- 
questing Presbytery to form them into a new Church. 
This request was opposed by the Churches of First and 
Second Amwell through their representative Mr. John 
Prall, Jr. 

The Presbytery, after hearing both parties resolved that 
it would be imprudent to decide at present. Presbytery 
adjourned to meet at Amwell First on the first Tuesday 
of November at eleven o'clock. Dr. Smith of Princeton 
College was appointed to preach at Amwell First, on the 
preceding Sabbath. Great interest was taken in the object 
to come before Presbytery, as shown by the persons who 
attended the meeting. Among others, were Dr. Smith, 
Dr. Witherspoon, Mr. Armstrong of Trenton and Mr. 
Clark of Allentown. 

At this meeting, as at the previous one, the parties had 
a full and satisfactory hearing. It will be of interest, to 
all to have the chief reasons which were presented for re- 
moval of the Church or eventually for a new organiza- 
tion at Flemington. They were presented by Jasper 
Smith, and we have the manuscript containing the points 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1 820 127 

of his argument. He gives some disadvantages of the 
present situation, and advantages of a charge. 

(1) The number of members have for many years 
been decreasing, as shown by the book. The reason why, 
the Old Church is ex-central. It was built fifty-two years 
ago for the people between the Delaware river and the 
Dutch Church at Reading Town. (This statement is 
very important as giving the age of the Old Church- 
building, fifty-two years before 1791). 

(2) A new Church (Second Amwell) taking off a 
part, is erected between this and the Delaware. 

(3) Reading Town Dutch Church, having all its ser- 
vices in English, has taken off many over South Branch 
and is likely to draw off others. 

(4) This Church is unfinished, and ever likely to be. 
When people come, there is not a house with fire to warm 
by, or any victuals or drink to be had for the hungry and 
thirsty. 

Some of the advantages. 

(1) This (Flemington) is a village containing a num- 
ber of houses, where a minister coming to preach, cold and 
hungry, may be refreshed before he goes into the pulpit, 
which cannot be done here (at the old Church). There 
are important facts to be read between the lines in this 
and the previous reason. 

(2) Because Flemington is nearly central to the peo- 
ple, who would naturally join (or attend) the Church 
when erected. This appears from the several subscrip- 
tions of April 1st, 1 79 1, and October 15th. Also the 
association of the 23rd of June last. 

( 3 ) There is a considerable sum of money already sub- 



i28 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

scribed for building a Church, which, with what may rea- 
sonably be expected, will go far to build a comfortable 
house at Flemington. 

(4) The removal of the Church will be more con- 
venient, and not so far from any member as the old 
Church now is, for John M. Reading and Charles Read- 
ing, who have always attended here. 

(5) In and about Flemington there are now upward 
of forty pounds subscribed for salary to be paid annually. 

(6) There would always be a full house at Fleming- 
ton (?) which is very desirable. 

(7) Flemington is an increasing place and the body 
of the people Presbyterian. 

In answer to the petitioners, Presbytery resolved unan- 
imously that in the present circumstances, matters do not 
appear ripe for forming them into a new congregation, 
that Presbytery would cheerfully form them into a new 
congregation at Flemington, if it had no appearance of 
weakening the congregations of Amwell. They earnestly 
advise all parties to unite in prosecuting the call to Mr. 
Grant, and to pursue such measure as would tend to peace. 
Resolved also, that Mr. Grant (provided he accept the 
calls prepared for him by said congregations) preach one- 
fourth part of his time at Amwell First, one-fourth at 
Flemington, and the remaining half at Amwell Second 
Church, and that the salary be apportioned to the time at 
each place." 

And in order to promote the union and interests of 
these congregations ordered that Dr. Witherspoon preach 
at Amwell First Church the first Sabbath of November, 
and that Dr. Smith preach at Flemington the first Sab- 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 129 

bath of December. The parties having heard the minutes 
read, agreed to stand by the decision of Presbytery, and to 
prosecute the call to Mr. Grant agreeably to the meaning 
and intent of this decision. The annual provision for 
salary was £130 gold or silver, besides the free use of a 
parsonage of £700 or £800 value. At this meeting of 
Presbytery the call was tendered to Mr. Grant and he 
signified his acceptance of the same. 

The second Tuesday of December at eleven o'clock, 
was appointed for his ordination and installation. This 
service was held December 13th, 1791. The Moderator 
of Presbytery Rev. Joseph Clark, preached, and Rev. John 
Hannah presided and proposed the constitutional ques- 
tions. Mr. Clark also gave the charge to the "newly or- 
dained bishop." 

Much as the members of this Church regretted and op- 
posed the action of the Flemington people, and naturally, 
for they could see that it must result in a separate Church 
and greatly weaken the old Church. Yet it was inevita- 
ble, and in view of the history of that movement, we of 
Amwell First must admit that for the greater honor of 
the Master and the saving of men, it was wise. 

And while the Presbytery hesitated to grant their re- 
quest, saying "matters do not appear ripe for forming a 
new congregation," their action in recommending a call 
to Mr. Grant, and that one-fourth of his time be given 
to Flemington, practically accomplished what they de- 
clined to do. For on the 9th of January, 1792, these 
same petitioners met after due notice, in the Baptist 
Church as a Society under the Presbytery of New Bruns- 
wick, and according to the laws of the State for Religious 



130 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

bodies, did form themselves into a body corporate, and 
did then and there choose Trustees. And these Trustees 
being duly sworn in, on the 28th of January inst. that 
they might be distinguished in Law from other incorpor- 
ated bodies, styled themselves Trustees of Flemington 
English Presbyterian Church in Amwell in the County 
of Hunterdon and state of New Jersey. 

The document recording this incorporation, and all its 
particulars, is on file, among the unengrossed papers from 
which we have drawn at first hand so many of the original 
facts of this history. This act of incorporation of the 
Church at Flemington, occurring at the very opening of 
Mr. Grant's pastorate is doubtless the most significant 
event of that pastorate, both to the mother Church, and 
the new organization. 

For the event that follows close after this, and the first 
on record, we have the satisfaction of going to the min- 
ute book of the Trustees of the Old Church Corporation. 
The first entry of this old book of the Trustees is as fol- 
lows: Amwell, April, 1792, Trustees of the First and 
Second English Presbyterian Churches in Amwell pur- 
chased a plantation of Jacob Williamson for a parsonage 
containing 120 acres of land for £650 to be paid in three 
equal payments, £216 13s 46. down — or on the first day of 
May next — and the same amount the first day of May, 
1793 and 1794, requiring of each congregation for each 
payment £108.6.8. At the same time the Trustees sold 
to Henry Kanaday (Kenedy) 40^ acres off the old plan- 
tation leaving 34 acres to be united with the new planta- 
tion for £126.2 to be paid in three payments, £85.7.4 
down, and £20.7.4 on the first of May, 1793, and the 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 131 

same May first, 1794. The money arising from this 
sale was to be equally divided between the First and 
Second Amwell Churches. 

Now that the contributors of the Flemington district, 
are no longer among the supporters of Amwell First, it 
will be of interest to see who are the men in Amwell First 
who are ready to take up the financial burden. They are 
given as follows: 

Collection list for the first payment on the purchase of 
a parsonage: 

£ s. d. 

John Schenck, Capt 400 o 

Peter Prall 210 o 

Ralph Schenck, Sen 3 6 8 

Enos Lanning 1 3 4 

Derrick Sutphin 3 00 o 

John Williamson 1 6 8 

Ralph Sutphin 1 00 o 

Jacob Williamson 2 00 o 

Garret Schenck 4 00 o 

Jacob Schenck 1 00 o 

Gersham Cravan 2 00 o 

Henry Kannady 4 13 4 

David Bishop 4 00 o 

Abraham Prall 5 00 o 

Tunis Quick, Sen 5 00 o 

Hite Runyan 1 10 o 

Lewis Chamberlin 5 00 o 

Joshua Kershaw 5 00 o 

Abraham Williamson 5 00 o 

Amos Hoagland 3 6 8 



132 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Jacob Mattison i 13 4 

William Schenck 5 00 o 



70 10 o 

John Schenck, collector, received £68.17.6. This with 
the half of £85 7s 40! from the sale of the old plantation 
was more than enough for the first payment, but the list 
for the next two payments was much smaller, and the 
amount collected insufficient for the payments. But in 
1796 the Trustees borrowed money and paid off the debt. 

The third event which characterized Mr. Grant's pas- 
torate, was the sale of this plantation. This took place 
April 1st, 1806, Nathaniel Wilson was the purchaser. 
The price paid was six thousand four hundred and twen- 
ty-nine dollars and thirty-three cents ($6,429.33). And 
although, as stated, the Trustees of Amwell First had a 
book of records, which is in existence, and dates back to 
1792, when it records the purchase of this property, the 
sale of it is not recorded in that book. However, we have 
the date, price and particulars of the same preserved in 
the parchment Deed on file among the papers of the 
Church. The names of the Trustees making this sale, 
are from the First English Presbyterian Church of Am- 
well, John Schenck, Amos Hoagland, Derrick Sutphin, 
Enos Lanning, Ralph Schenck, Jacob Schenck and Titus 
Quick, and from the Second Church, John Reading, John 
Prall, Jr., John Wilson, Samuel Holcombe, Jr., Jo- 
siah Holcombe, Amos Wilson and John T. Skillman. 

After the sale of this property, Mr. Grant received a 
consideration from the Trustees as rent, for which he 
gives his receipts. 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 133 

Turning from the material to the spiritual interests of 
the Church, we have during Mr. Grant's pastorate, as 
we have from that of his predecessors, very little definite 
information. And we do not have even in the minutes 
of the Presbytery of New Brunswick a record of the 
communicants of the Church, nor any regular statement 
of its beneficence. The health of Mr. Grant during the 
closing years of his ministry was such, that he frequently 
failed to meet his appointments to preach. The Flem- 
ington Church met this condition by appointing some one 
to read a sermon, and two of the Trustees were appointed 
to keep order at the same time. The Second Amwell 
Church felt his failure to preach so keenly, that many 
of the supporters refused to pay their salary. 

These facts were sent with manifest reluctance in a 
memorial to the Revd. Presbytery of New Brunswick 
April 1, 1809. In the same communications the Presby- 
tery was informed that a joint committee from the First 
and Second Churches have waited on Mr. Grant, and 
invited him to meet the corporation of these Churches, 
and talk over the situation and in a friendly manner they 
requested him to agree to an application for the dissolu- 
tion of the pastoral relation between them and himself. 
This he declined to do. The committee, however, re- 
quests of Presbytery, the dissolution of the relation. The 
report is signed by 

Amwell, April 1st, 1809. 

Jonathan Borroughs, Moderator. 
Samuel Holcombe, Jr., Clerk. 

We are not informed what steps the Presbytery took in 
this matter, but it is stated that Rev. Thomas Grant pre- 



134 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

sented a request for the dissolution of the pastoral relation 
between himself and the Churches which he served, and 
Presbytery granted his request. 

After his withdrawal from the Amwell Churches, Mr. 
Grant moved to Mill Hill, near Trenton. Here he ex- 
perienced a new affliction in the death of his second wife, 
which occurred August 9th, 1809. Mrs. Bryan Grant 
was buried in the old Amwell burying ground in a grave 
adjoining that of her sister, and her sister's husband, Hon. 
George C. Maxwell, M. C, of Flemington, and who 
had been esteemed one of the ablest lawyers of Hunter- 
don Co. Mr. Grant and Elizabeth, eldest daughter of 
John Bryan, Esq., of Somerset County, had been married 
December 6th, 1805. The issue of this union was one 
child, Elizabeth, as shown in her father's will. 

Mr. Grant himself died in March, 181 1, and was 
buried according to the True American in the Presbyter- 
ian Church yard, Trenton, and that paper added "Rarely 
has the Church been called upon to mourn the departure 
of a more solid, judicious and evangelical divine." 

Further obituary notice of Mr. Grant seems to be 
called for. Especially so, because up to the present time 
no account of his life and work has been published. Even 
Dr. Mott, in his day the historian of Hunterdon Co., felt 
compelled to say, when he published his history of the 
Church at Flemington, of which Mr. Grant was the first 
pastor, that he had no facts of Mr. Grant's life excepting 
his graduation and the statement of his pastorate of the 
Amwell and Flemington Churches. After the publication 
of that history there came into his hands the manuscript 
copy of the sermon which had been preached at Mr. 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 135 

Grant's funeral. By whom this sermon had been written 
he did not know. Dr. Mott kindly sent that manuscript 
to me. The preacher claims to have been a co-presbyter 
with Mr. Grant, and to speak from personal knowledge. 
We gladly cull the few facts thus furnished. In the mat- 
ter of the difficulty between Mr. Grant and the Amwell 
Churches, he views the case from the other side. He in- 
forms us that Mr. Grant's parents had moved from New 
York to New Brunswick during his early childhood, and 
that he lived there until he entered the ministry excepting 
the period of his studies at Princeton. After his gradua- 
tion in 1786, he applied himself to the study of divinity, 
and received an early call from one of the largest and 
most respectable congregations of the State. This was to 
the Amwell 1st and 2nd and Flemington Churches. " Dur- 
ing the first and longest part of his ministry in these 
Churches he met with but little apparent success. It 
pleased the Great Head of the Church, however, to give 
him abundant success in the latter years of his ministry, in 
the congregations of Amwell and Flemington. Then dis- 
cord arose and the pastor's health failed, which finally 
drove him from his pulpit." Mr. Grant, as the minutes 
of General Assembly show, represented the Presbytery of 
New Brunswick in the General Assembly in 1802. I can 
supplement the information furnished by the manuscript, 
by adding some interesting facts sent me by Mr. Granville 
Leach of Philadelphia, which he discovered in some of the 
Archives of New Jersey, while searching for the date of 
the marriage of Theodosia, daughter of Captain Daniel 
Reading and Rev. Thomas Grant. We thus learn that 
Rev. Thomas Grant was the son of Thomas Grant, and 



136 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Catherine Stevens, his wife, and that he was born in New 
York city, 16th of March, 1763. He was baptized at 
the Presbyterian Church of that city 31st of March of 
the same year. Then it gives his graduation and settle- 
ment in Amwell as already stated." 

He resigned the pastorate of these United Churches 
at the meeting of Presbytery in April, 1809. His pas- 
torate extending from 1791 to 1809, makes his the longest 
pastorate in the history of Amwell First. Both Amwell 
Second and Flemington have had pastorates much longer 
than this. 

Early in this pastorate occurred the marriage of Theo- 
dosia Reading and Mr. Grant, date of which has not been 
discovered. The children of this union were Catherine 
Stevens Grant, born 16 August, 1793. She was married 
June 6th, 18 15, to Abraham Schuyler Neilson, Esq., of 
New Brunswick. And Theodosia Grant who married 
Rev. William Whitehead. Also Thomas and John Grant. 
Mr. Grant's second marriage has already been given. Mr. 
Leach adds — The inventory of his property, filed at Tren- 
ton, among the Burlington Co. probate files, is most in- 
teresting, showing a degree of affluence which I should 
think rather uncommon among clergy of small parishes of 
that period. 

Of this statement he gives the following illustration: 
His will was proved at Burlington, N. J., 9 April, 181 1, 
which showed him to be possessed of considerable real 
estate in Virginia and that his personal property was in- 
ventoried at twenty-five thousand dollars, Archives, N. J. 
David Bishop was one of the active elders during Mr. 
Grant's pastorate. He represented the Presbytery of New 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 137 

Brunswick in the General Assembly in 1803. Abraham 
Prall was another. Also Joseph Reading was a member 
of the session. He was a member of the Amwell Second 
Church and an elder in the same. 

THE REV. JACOB KIRKPATRICK, 
l8lO-l8l8. 

In continuing our "walk about Zion to tell her towers 
and mark her bulwarks" we come now to a name en- 
deared among the older members of this Church more 
than that of any other pastor. The Rev. Jacob Kirkpat- 
rick, the sixth pastor of Amwell First, is really the con- 
necting link between the past and the present. No pre- 
vious pastor of this Church was personally known by any 
of our members now living, and he not perhaps by his 
pastorate over this Church, but because he continued to 
reside and labor in a neighboring congregation. The 
resignation of the Rev. Thomas Grant occurred as stated 
in 1809. Mr. Kirkpatrick together with his friend and 
fellow student, Jacob T. Field, was taken under the care 
of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, October 7th, 1807. 
Their next appearance in Presbytery, was on April 26th, 
1809, when each read a lecture. They were both li- 
censed to preach the gospel August 8th, 1809. Mr. Kirk- 
patrick preached for the first time in this Church, the 
Old Meeting House, as it was then called in September, 
1809. Afterwards, by appointment of Presbytery he 
preached in Amwell five Sabbaths in December, 1809, 
and in February and April, 18 10. It is to be presumed 
that during this appointment of Presbytery, he preached 
in all the Amwell Churches, though he does not so state 



138 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

in his semi-centennial sermon, nor do his biographers. 
From the Records of Presbytery, it appears he was called 
to take the pastoral charge of the Amwell Churches. 
This call was presented at the meeting of Presbytery at 
Trenton April 24th, 18 10. The call was made out in 
due form except that it was for five years, and the phase 
"for five years" was underscored. Dr. Kirkpatrick in re- 
ferring to this time limit, in his semi-centennial discourse 
says Dr. S. Stanhope Smith casting his keen eye upon me 
remarked, "I would throw it back in their teeth." The 
reason for adding this limitation in their call, as explained 
by Dr. Kirkpatrick, was because of the trouble that had 
existed between the Church, and the previous pastor. Dur- 
ing the latter part of Mr. Grant's pastorate, his health 
became very much impaired, so that he often failed to 
meet his appointments, and yet declined to resign the 
charge at the suggestion of the people. Because of this 
difficulty, the Church had unwisely decided not to call 
another man for life as they put it, the fact being that a 
call in due form is without a time limit. Mr. Kirkpatrick 
however, signified his willingness to take charge of the 
Churches. But the Presbytery, being unwilling to place 
the call in his hands, and install him for five years, ap- 
pointed him as a stated supply to the Amwell Churches 
for that period and so the young preacher began his labors. 
On the 19th of June, 18 10, the Presbytery met in the 
Amwell First Church and heard the candidate's trial ser- 
mon for ordination from Col. 3 14 and on the next day 
June 20th, Mr. Kirkpatrick was ordained, but not in- 
stalled. Dr. John Woodhull, of Freehold, with whom 
he had studied for the ministry, preached the sermon, and 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1 820 139 

made the ordaining prayer. The Rev. Holloway W. 
Hunt gave the charge to the minister, and delivered a 
suitable address to the people. Originally, you will re- 
member, our own Church, Amwell First, was the only 
Church on the territory from the Delaware to Somerset 
Co. and the Readington Reformed Church. In 1754 
Amwell Second was organized, and the two Churches 
formed but one pastoral charge up to 1809 and they con- 
tinued to have the same pastor until 1818. Between 
these two Churches was the German Church at Larison's 
Corner, or formerly Pleasant Corner. The time of the 
organization of the German Church can not now be defi- 
nitely stated. The people who worshipped there came 
originally from Germany and Holland. The Church be- 
longed to the Coetus or German Reformed Synod of 
Pennsylvania. They worshipped, in what was known as 
"The Old Stone House," which stood in the graveyard, 
on the opposite side of the road from the present Church. 
The deed for the land on which this "Old Stone 
Church" stood, is dated the twenty-first day of January 
in the twenty-second year of the reign of our sovereign 
Lord George, the Second, over Great Britain, etc. King, 
Anno Dom. One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty- 
nine." The Church was dedicated December 1st, 1749. 
In the erection of the building, the Church received aid 
from the Old Dutch Church in New York City, whose 
records state that "it was resolved to pay £15 to the High 
Dutch Reformed congregation which meets at Amwell 
for Christian help in building a Church for divine ser- 
vice. Since their own means fall short. John Ritzema, 
pastor." (Rev. C. S. Converse, p. 7). To this may be 



Ho AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

added Dr. Kirkpatrfck's statement that the deed by which 
the German Church held their graveyard is dated 1740 
(P. 8). 

This shows them to have been on the ground very near- 
ly as early as the founders of our own Church. This 
German Church was served by pastors from both Ger- 
many and Holland. The first of these preachers, of whom 
we have any record, though he was never settled as pastor 
in Amwell, was the Rev. Michael Schlatter. He visited 
Amwell as early as 1747, and administered the Sacrament. 
He found thirty communicants on the ground at that 
time. 

From Rev. C. C. Converse's historical discourse I add 
the following: "The next supply to the German Church 
was Rev. John Conrad Wertz. He also supplied Rocka- 
way and Fox Hill. The next was the Rev. Johann Cas- 
per Lapp, preaching in 1755, and 6. We then have the 
Rev. William Kails 1757-59. The Rev. George Alsentz 
is mentioned as preaching in Amwell in 1760. He was 
followed by the Rev. Caspar Michael Stabel or Stapfel. 
He preached also at Rockaway and Fox Hill. The Rev. 
Frederick Dallicker was Mr. Sapfel's successor, 1763- 
1770. Then we have Rev. John Wesley Gilbert Nevel- 
ing, 1 7 70- 1 783, covering the period of the Revolution. 
After the war there appears to have been a vacancy for 
about fifteen years, yet doubtless some pastor or pastors 
visited the Church from time to time during this vacancy, 
of whom all trace has been lost." 

The last of these German pastors was the Rev. John Ja- 
cob Mack. He preached also in the two Dutch Churches 
of Knowlton, and Hardwick at the same time he was pas- 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 141 

tor here. The date of his pastorate is differently stated 
by different authorities, from 1798 to 1805, or 1809. He 
was a man of commanding appearance, and a ready and 
fluent speaker, in both German and English. He was the 
first pastor who preached in the English language in that 
Church (Converse, p. 12). This statement shows the 
trend of the times. The German language was giving 
way to the English, even in the German families. The 
children must be supplied with English preaching, or 
they will go where they can get it. This granted, it re- 
quires but a generation to supplant the German altogeth- 
er. On the same principle, they must withdraw from the 
distant German Synod, and become identified with an ec- 
clesiastical body near at hand, and more in touch with 
their surroundings. Such a movement was favored by 
the fact that the Rev. Thomas Grant had in April, 1809, 
resigned the pastorate of Amwell First, Amwell Second 
and Flemington Churches. The four neighboring 
Churches "were thus without a pastor at the same time. 
Flemington was the youngest, and the weakest of these 
Churches. The Flemington people came to the German 
Church offering to unite with it in calling and supporting 
a pastor. The overture was favorably considered, and 
would, in all probability have been accepted had not Am- 
well First approached the German Church with a similar 
proposition. All the three Amwell Churches had funds 
in hand for repairs and supporting the gospel at this 
time together yielding an income of about six hundred 
dollars annually. Flemington was without funds. Not 
only for this reason as it appears, but because union with 



142 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Amwell First was the more natural and wiser, the pro- 
posal to unite with Amwell First was accepted. 

Concerning this movement Dr. Jacob Kirkpatrick 
makes this every significant statement. "In the early part 
of the year 1810, the people of the First Presbyterian 
Church and the German Church came together. They 
elected their trustees, and were incorporated according to 
law, assuming the name of The United First Presbyterian 
Church of Amwell. They became by this act one organic 
Church, having two branches or places of service. The 
funds of the First Church and the German Church, 
though managed by one board of Trustees, were kept sep- 
arate. And the whole charge was under the care of one 
session (Converse, p. 14). The call presented to Presby- 
tery April 24th, 1 8 10, for Mr. Kirkpatrick's service "for 
five years," was for what are now the three Amwell 
Churches. At the expiration of this period, the Amwell 
people came to Presbytery April 25th, 181 5, and presented 
a call in due form for Mr. Kirkpatrick to take the pastoral 
charge of their Churches. On the 15th of June follow- 
ing in the Old Stone Church, the Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick 
was installed, and thus became the pastor of these 
Churches. In this service, his cousin, the Rev. William 
B. Sloan, of Greenwich, N. J., preached the sermon, and 
the Rev. George S. Woodhull gave the charge to the pas- 
tor and the people. 

The relation between these Churches was not changed 
by this act, nor was that of Dr. Kirkpatrick's relation to 
them changed as to the time of service. The act, however, 
consummated the relation and gave him the authority of 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 143 

the office and the seal of the Presbytery. This is really 
very much. 

Dr. Kirkpatrick informs us that he preached eight years 
in these houses of worship, commonly called the Old 
House, the New House and the Stone House. The Old 
House was our Church, Amwell First, the New House, 
Amwell Second and the Stone House that at Larison's 
Corner. These were the local names by which they were 
known at the time. 

While speaking of the names of these Churches, it will 
clear up, what has long been obscure, to add other names 
by which these Churches have been known, and state the 
relation they have, or have had to each other. First, be 
it remembered that they are all situated along the "Old 
York Road," which runs in practically a direct line east 
and west from Lambertville to Reaville, where the road 
turns northward to Three Bridges. Amwell First is at 
Reaville since 1839. Previous to that date it or its pre- 
decessor was located in the Cemetery a mile to the west. 
At first, when it was the only Church it was called the 
Amwell Church or the Presbyterian Church in Amwell. 
Shortly afterward when the German Church was estab- 
lished at Pleasant Corner (now Larison's Corner) our 
Church was called the English Presbyterian Church in 
Amwell. Then in 1754 we have the Church at Mount 
Airy, as an offspring of the First Church. Our Church 
is known as the Eastern Presbyterian Church in Amwell 
or the First English Presbyterian Church in Amwell and 
Mt. Airy the Second. The old Trustee book calls ours 
The Amwell First Church and sometimes the First Eng- 
lish Presbyterian Church in Amwell, which name is so 



H4 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

used as late as 1865, when building the parsonage, and 
still belongs to it. The Presbytery in the olden time uses 
the terms Old House and New House. Thus Dr. With- 
erspoon was appointed to preach in the Old House and 
administer the Sacrament the third Sabbath in June, 1779, 
and to preach the third Sabbath in July. 

Dr. Samuel Stanhope Smith was appointed to preach 
on the first Sabbath in August and the first Sabbath in 
September at the New House, i. e. ( Mount Airy, which is 
farthest to the West). Between these two Churches was 
the German Church, having no connection with either un- 
til 1 8 10. 

And then the interesting fact, given by Dr. Kirkpatrick 
in his historical discourse, that the Church at the "Corn- 
er" and our Church during the time our Church was un- 
der his pastoral care, bore in common, the name of The 
United First Presbyterian Church in Amwell. 

Dr. Kirkpatrick considered this fact of so much import- 
ance, that when starting a new minute book in 1863, he 
states on the first page, and over his own signature, the 
fact as I have quoted it from his discourse delivered in 
i860. He evidently desired to have the origin of this 
name preserved, as an interesting fact in the history of 
the two Churches. 

As the origin of the name has either been overlooked or 
erroneously applied, I further state, as "true to the truth 
of things," that the people considered themselves as con- 
stituting at the time of the union but one Church. As 
evidence, I quote the following from the old congrega- 
tional and Trustee book, page 84: "At a meeting of the 
United First Congregation of Amwell, held at the Old 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 145 

Presbyterian meeting house, this Second day of February, 
18 1 8, agreeably to lawful notice by advertisement, and 
also publication from the pulpit, for the purpose of taking 
into consideration the propriety and necessity of building 
a new house in place of the Old House and Stone House 
(local name of the German Church). Said congregation 
proceeded to the choice of a Clerk and Moderator, when 
Jeremiah Kershaw was chosen Moderator, and John Kee, 
Clerk. 

A motion was made and seconded — Are we one con- 
gregation or two congregations unitedf Carried unani- 
mously that we are one congregation!' "A motion was 
made and seconded, That we build a new house in place 
of the Old and Stone Houses. Carried in favor of a 
new house 42 to 26. 

On motion it was then decided to open subscription im- 
mediately to raise money necessary for building a new 
house. The meeting then adjourned to the sixteenth in- 
stant. The congregation met February 16th, and after 
transacting some unimportant business adjourned sine die. 
Jeremiah Kershaw, Moderator. 
John Kee, Clerk. 

With this adjournment the matter was next taken in 
hand by the Trustees, but no further steps were taken to 
build one house which would serve as a place of worship 
for both the Old House and the Stone House people. 

A meeting of the Trustees of the United First Presby- 
terian Congregation convened at the house of Joseph Kug- 
ler, February 28th, 1818. A majority of the Trustees be- 
ing present, it was moved that the funds originating from 

that branch of the said united congregation, formerly wor- 
10 



146 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

shipping at the Old House, be appropriated for the use 
of that branch. And that the funds originating from that 
branch of the said united congregation formerly worship- 
ing at the Stone House be appropriated for the use of that 
branch, to enable them to build a new house of worship 
in place of the Stone House, and for supporting the Gos- 
pel at that place as heretofore, in union with the Old 
House people. On this question the yeas and nays were 
called, and were as follows: 

Yeas — George Dilts, Jacob Case and William Fisher. 

Nays — Titus Quick, Tunis Quick and Abraham Prall. 

There being a tie vote the Trustees adjourned to meet 
at the same place March the 5th, for the further consid- 
eration of the matter. On the 5th of March they met ac- 
cording to adjournment at the house of Joseph Kugler 
and adjourned to meet the next day at the same place. 
Though no reason for this adjournment is stated the rec- 
ords show that March the 4th, notice was given in writ- 
ing by Tunis Quick and Abraham Prall, to George Dilts, 
President of the Trustees of the United First Congrega- 
tion, that they declined acting as Trustees of said cor- 
poration. 

The remaining Trustees of the United First Congrega- 
tion of Amwell, met at the home of Joseph Kugler, March 
6th, agreeable to adjournment. A majority being present, 
to wit, George Dilts, Jacob Case, John A. Kendry and 
William Fisher, they proceeded to business. 

"The motion which was before them February 28th, 
1818, for appropriating the two funds of the two branches 
was called for and considered." 

"When that part of the motion" (so reads the record) 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1 820 147 

"for appropriating the funds originating from the branch 
worshipping at the Old House was taken up and consid- 
ered, and the question put, shall said funds be appropri- 
ated? the vote stood, Yeas — none; Nays — Jacob Case, 
John A. Kendry, William Fisher and George Dilts. Then 
that part of the motion appropriating the funds of the 
Stone House was taken up and considered. It was moved 
to appropriate these funds to the use of said branch, to 
enable them to build a new house of worship, in place of 
the Stone House, and for supporting the gospel at that 
place as heretofore, in union with those worshipping at 
the Old House. 

Yeas — Jacob Case, John A. Kendry, William Fisher 
and George Dilts. Nays — None. 

Paul Kuhl was, at this meeting of the Trustees ap- 
pointed manager of the funds in hand and such money as 
should be raised by subscription and to pay the sums ex- 
pended in building. At the request of Tunis Quick and 
Abraham Prall a meeting of the United Congregation was 
called to meet at the Stone House March 19th, 18 18. At 
this meeting Captain John Schenck was chosen Moderator 
and John Kee, Clerk. 

A motion was made by Jacob Young and seconded, 
That this United Congregation dissolve their present con- 
nection in order that each branch may choose Trustees for 
itself. Carried 34 to 6. 

John Schenck, Moderator. 
John Kee, Clerk. 

April 24th, 1818. The Trustees of the First English 
Presbyterian Church of Amwell met at their Church and 
received from George Dilts, late president of the First 



i 4 8 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

United Congregation of Amwell, the sum of four thou- 
sand four hundred and seventy-six dollars and seventv- 
cents, the funds belonging to the said First English Pres- 
byterian Church of Amwell. Also the books and papers 
belonging thereto and receipt given. These funds and 
books and papers were taken by Titus Quick, as presi- 
dent of the Trustees of the First Church. 

Signed Titus Quick, President. 

It will be noticed that our Church, here resumes its old 
name, as First Church of Amwell, which we now for 
convenience write Amwell First. 

The Amwell Churches had been transferred to the 
Presbytery of Newton at its organization in 1817, in 
which connection they remained until 1839. When the 
separation took place between Amwell First, and the 
Stone House people, the latter assumed the corporate ti- 
tle of The United First Church of Amwell. This is 
stated on the authority of the minutes of the Presbytery 
of Newton. The Trustees of this United First Church 
went on with their building according to their previous 
action. 

The lot of ground on which their present Church build- 
ing was erected, was given by Joseph Kugler. He was al- 
so made a member of the building committee. So says 
Rev. C. C. Converse. 

The whole board of Trustees as given by Mr. Con- 
verse was Nathan Price, George Dilts, R. M. William- 
son, Jere Kershaw, Jacob Dilts, Joseph Kugler, William 
Fisher and Paul Kuhl, Treasurer. The collectors were 
Joseph Bishop and Elijah Wilson. This Joseph Kugler 
who gave the lot and at whose house the Trustees held 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1776-1820 149 

frequent meetings, was a great uncle of mine, my father 
Joseph Kugler having been named for him. He kept the 
tavern at the time at the Corner. And while I here re- 
cord his name in connection with the erection of the 
Church, I would be doing violence to my feelings were 
I not to add that building a Church and carrying on the 
liquor business seem to me to be directly opposed to each 
other, and I am thankful that society, as well as the 
Church, are now agreed in this opinion. 

Both branches of the Old United First endeavored to 
secure Dr. Kirkpatrick's services as pastor. This speaks 
more than words to his honor. But the United First 
claimed that as Amwell First had failed to make the neces- 
sary arrangements for his support the succession belonged 
to them by right. And he accepted their call for his ser- 
vices in connection with Amwell Second, agreeing to 
preach alternately in their respective Churches. This 
relation continued until his death May 2nd, 1866. Ac- 
cordingly, Amwell United First made application to the 
Presbytery of Newton held at Greenwich October 6th, 
181 8, to be taken under their care as a district Church, 
and on the next day the call for Dr. Kirkpatrick's services 
was presented to him and accepted. The parties were 
cited to appear at the United First Church November 3rd, 

1 81 8, when the pastoral relation between Dr. Kirkpat- 
rick and Amwell First was dissolved. The salary due 
him, however, was not paid until six months later, as ap- 
pears from a receipt given by Dr. Kirkpatrick May 1st, 

1 8 19, as follows. Received of Titus Quick, president of 
the Trustees of the First Presbyterian Congregation of 
Amwell, the sum of two hundred and twenty-five dol- 



ISO AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

lars for six months salary, due the 1st of November, 1818, 
together with seven dollars eighty-seven and a half cents, 
being six months interest on the same — $232.87^. 

J. KlRKPATRICK. 

This closes Dr. Kirkpatrick's official connection with 
our Church. Yet during the long period of his pastorate 
in the neighboring Churches he was a frequent visitor to 
this Church, and greatly beloved by our people. So close- 
ly are these Churches related by location, ties of kindred 
and intermarriage ; and so winning was the fatherly kind- 
ness of Dr. Kirkpatrick that such mutual regard and es- 
teem were as natural as they were delightful. A few 
words about Dr. Kirkpatrick are here in place as an in- 
tegral part of this history; but inasmuch as a memorial 
sermon and sketch of himself and ancestors have been 
published, my statement will be very brief. 

Jacob Kirkpatrick, son of Alexander Kirkpatrick and 
Sarah Carle, his wife, was born August 8th, 1785. His 
birthplace was in the Valley of the Passaic, about six miles 
southeast of Basking Ridge, Somerset Co., N. J. His 
grandfather, David, son of Alexander Kirkpatrick, was 
born at Watties Dumfries Shore, Scotland, February 
17th, 1724, and died at Mine Brook, Somerset Co. This 
great grandfather, Alexander, moved with his family from 
Scotland to Belfast, Ireland, after the birth of his son, 
David, in the latter part of the reign of George I, proba- 
bly about the year 1725 (Kirkpatrick memorial). 

In the year, 1799, Jacob Kirkpatrick and Samuel L. 
Southard commenced the study of Latin in the School of 
Robert Finley, then pastor of the Church at Basking 
Ridge. They were soon joined in their class by Philip 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 151 

Lindsley and Theodore Frelinghuysen. These four con- 
stituted the first class in the Academy. They entered the 
Junior Class in the College of New Jersey in 1802. The 
president of the college at this time was the Rev. Samuel 
Stanhope Smith, D. D., LL.D.. John Maclean, M. D., 
was Vice-President. Besides these, there were only two 
tutors. The College had been burned the previous spring, 
and rebuilt during the summer. The walls were not yet 
sufficiently dry for occupancy when they entered and the 
students were obliged to room for a time with private 
families in the town. The class graduated in 1804. On 
graduation young Kirkpatrick entered his name as a stu- 
dent of law in the office of George C. Maxwell, Esq., of 
Flemington, at the same time teaching in the Academy at 
Somerville, N. J. 

In the year 1807 he visited his home at Basking Ridge. 
There was a revival of religion in the Church at the time 
his former preceptor, Dr. Findley still being the pastor. 
Under the influence of this awakening and the influences 
of the Spirit, young Kirkpatrick's views and feelings be- 
came so changed, on the subject of religion, and his own 
duty, that he relinquished the study of law which he had 
pursued for three years and devoted himself to the work 
of the Gospel ministry. This was certainly no easy task 
to a man with Kirkpatrick's gifts from the temporal view 
of the subject. But he heard the call of the Master, and 
he obeyed. In order to prepare himself for the ministry 
he went to Freehold and became a student of Theology 
under Rev. John Woodhull, D. D. He remained here 
for two years. On the 13th of December, 1909, he was 
united in holy wedlock with Mary Sutfin with whose 



152 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

father John Sutfin, who resided near the Old Tenant 
Church, he took lodgings, while pursuing his studies for 
the ministry. This united couple were blessed with a 
large family of children, and they were spared to each 
other to celebrate their golden wedding and to look into 
the years beyond. The licensure of Mr. Kirkpatrick and 
the steps which led to his settlement over the Amwell 
Churches, have already been stated. 

How this venerable man of God, like Paul, was in la- 
bors more abundant during his long pastorate of nearly 
fifty-six years, is known throughout the Church. During 
this period, extending from 1810 to the time of his death 
May 2nd, 1866, he preached more than 10,000 times, at- 
tended 900 funerals and married 705 couples. When he 
came to this charge, he informs us in his semi-centennial 
discourse, there were but 94 communicants in the whole 
charge. He also remarks that the first five years of his 
ministry appeared to produce but little fruit. During the 
first year the cloud seemed to be gathering over our politi- 
cal horizon, which burst upon us "in the declaration of 
War with Great Britain in 18 12." The public mind was 
absorbed with the events of the day up to the Treaty of 
Peace at Ghent in 1815. During this period the public 
ear was open to news of Perry's victory on the Lake, or 
the saying of Lawrence "Don't give up the ship," in the 
attack on Baltimore or the "Burning of the Capitol at 
Washington." This state of things was followed with the 
period of revivals and the large and rapid increase in the 
membership of the Churches, receiving forty, sixty and 
over a hundred in a single year. In all, there were ten 
seasons of refreshing during his long and honored pastor- 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1 820 153 

ate. Statistics furnished by Rev. William J. Wright, 
pastor of Amwell United First, and Rev. John Burrows, 
pastor of Amwell Second at the time of the publication 
of the memorial volume, show that six hundred and twen- 
ty-one were received into these Churches on profession 
during his ministry. 

It will be interesting to follow these numbers with 
statistics covering nearly the entire period of Dr. Kirkpat- 
rick's connection with our Church. 

I am indebted to Mr. Armstrong, stated clerk of the 
Presbytery of New Brunswick, for these statistics, and it 
will be remembered they embrace the whole charge. They 
are as follows: 

181 1. Total communicants at last report 112 

Died 2, added 15, total now 125 

Adults baptized 9, infants 16. 

1812. Died 1, removed 1, added 11, total 134 

Adults baptized 3, infants 13. 

1813. Died 4, removed 2, added 1, total 129 

Infants baptized 13. 

1 8 14. No report. 

1815. Died 1, added 4, total 132 

Adults baptized 3, infants 10. 

1816. Died 3, removed 2, added 6, total 133 

Adults baptized 3, infants 11. 

181 7. Which was the last report to the Presby- 

tery of New Brunswick — Removed 1, 

added 5, total 137 

Infants baptized 9. 
This gives us the interesting statement that in six years 
72 infants were baptized, while in the whole charge only 



154 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

42 members were added both by certificate and on profes- 
sion, which is three less than were added in this single 
Church with its greatly limited territory and numbers, 
during the first six years of my pastorate here, while we 
received in addition thirty-two by certificate. But soon 
after this the blessing came under Dr. Kirkpatrick's pas- 
torate in precious fulness, which through ten seasons of 
revival resulted in the ingathering of six hundred and 
twenty-one (621) for the whole pastorate. In addition 
to the abundant labors of Dr. Kirkpatrick in his extended 
charge, he rendered most valued assistance to a large num- 
ber of Churches and clergymen in different parts of the 
State, and also in Pennsylvania and New York. He was 
always a welcome preacher in these Churches, and con- 
tributed in this way largely to their growth. He was also 
an ardent friend and able advocate of the cause of Tem- 
perance. I remember him both as an evangelist, and as a 
lecturer on Temperance in the days of my boyhood in the 
old Kingwood Church. At these services his earnest 
pathos and tearful pleading made impressions that are 
lasting and beneficent. 

Dr. Kirkpatrick was likewise largely instrumental in 
the organization of the Hunterdon Co. Bible Society, and 
always until his death, deeply interested and active mem- 
ber of the same. 

This Society was organized October 16th, 18 16, at 
the Old Stone Church of Amwell, then under his pastoral 
care. At its organization General John Beatty, of Tren- 
ton, a descendant, if not a member of this Church (Am- 
well First) being a son of Rev. Charles Beatty, and 
grandson of Gov. Reading, was made temporary chair- 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— i 776-1820 155 

man. Hon. Samuel L. Southard was chosen President. 
General John Beatty, First Vice President. Dr. Jacob 
Kirkpatrick, Second Vice-President. Rev. J. F. Clark, 
our next pastor, Third Vice-President. Rev. Joseph 
Boggs, Fourth Vice-President. Peter I. Clark, Corres- 
ponding Secretary. Joseph Bishop, Recording Secretary, 
and John Q. Blackwell, Treasurer. 

Perhaps no work in which Dr. Kirkpatrick ever en- 
gaged, will, in the end, prove to be so grand and far- 
reaching for the saving of men, as the part he took in 
connection with the Bible Society. But his labors are 
ended and he has long been at rest and his works do fol- 
low him. 

Let us pause a moment by the grave of this venerable 
man. I think the sublimest act of his life, was, when, 
having nearly completed his studies for the practice of the 
law, in which honor and wealth awaited him, he turned 
aside, at the call of the Master, and gave himself to the 
Gospel ministry. Here equal if not more intense toil and 
hardship confronted him, with poverty, instead of riches 
as the sure result, although the honor that is his, could 
not have been greater in any other calling. But when 
once convinced that he was called to this service, he yield- 
ed himself with joyful obedience to preach the everlasting 
Gospel of Christ. 

In this work he was faithful to the end. The burden 
of his soul was to persuade men to believe in Jesus Christ. 
To this he gave his time and his strength, and for this he 
used all the powers of his being. He preached to the con- 
science of his hearers. He pressed upon them the require- 
ments of the law. He held up before them the matchless 



156 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

love of our gracious Saviour. He yearned for their sal- 
vation and would plead with sinners with the truest, 
tenderest emotion. When they yielded, he was happy. 

This was his joy and crown of rejoicing. I requested 
Dr. Samuel M. Osmond for many years a colleague, to 
give me his impressions of Dr. Kirkpatrick as a man, and 
a preacher of the Gospel. He wrote me, "It is now more 
than forty years since I was the colleague of Dr. Kirk- 
patrick. You will see in the Memorial Volume, pp. 65- 
71, my views and impressions of him as they were penned 
many years ago. I can now only say that these impres- 
sions remain unchanged, unless it be that the favorable es- 
timate which I then sought to convey has been more and 
more confirmed and intensified with my wider experience 
and my observation of other men, ministers especially, 
with whom I have had occasion to compare him or invol- 
untarily to measure his rare excellence, goodness, purity 
of life, devotedness to his work, generosity, and nobility 
of character." I am confident that this estimate of the 
blessed man of God who gave his long life to the service 
of his Redeemer and ours, in these Amwell Churches, 
will receive from all who knew him and especially from 
those who listened to his earnest and tender appeals, a 
very hearty concurrence, Servant of God, Well done. We 
loved thee when living, and we love thy memory still. 

A list of the supporters of Mr. Kirkpatrick at the 
commencement of his pastorate over this United Con- 
gregation is here given. It is headed: Half year salary 
due May 1st, 1810: 

William Bellis, Sen., Cornelius WyckofE, 

Jacob Sutfin, Sen., Jonathan Hill, 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 157 



John Finley, 

Sally Schenck, 

Jacob Young, 

Wid. Wm. Mary Schenck, 

Isaiah Stout, 

Garret Schenck, 

Richard Williamson, 

John Smith, 

Peter Dilts, 

Andrew Bearder, 

Henry Young, 

John P. Young, 

Abraham Williamson, 

Jacob Kershaw, 

Jacob J. Johnson, 

William Young Weaver, 

Isaac Hill, 

Isaac Prall, 

Enos Lanning, 

Jeremiah Kershaw, 

Tunis Quick, Jr., 

Paul Kuhl, Sen., 

John Schenck, Captn. 

Leonard Cool, 

Jacob Sedam, 

George Dilts, 

Jacob Dilts, 

Widow John R. Schenck, 

Peter Risler, Esq., 

Leonard Cool, Sen., 

Ralph G. Schenck, 



Dr. John Brown, 

James Rowlin (Rowland?) 

Daniel Carrol, 

Abraham R. Sutfin, 

Henry Williamson, 

Christopher Kuhl, 

Peter Young, Sen., 

Jacob Case, Esq., 

William P. Young, 

William W. Young, 

Jonathan Hoagland, 

Mathias Housel, 

Peter Prall, 

John P. Quick, 

Jacob Case, 

Polly Van Hise, 

Jacob Fisher, 

Abraham Prall, 

Nathaniel Wilson, 

Joseph Higgins, 

Abraham Gulick, 

William Prall, 

John Skillman, 

John Young, 

John Key, 

Derrick D. Sutfin, 

Morcah Probasco, 

David Bishop, 

Titus Quick, 

Doctor Craven, 

Joseph Craven, 



158 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Jacob Schenck, Isaac Taylor, 

William G. Schenck, Nathan Price, 

William Fisher, Tunis Quick, Sen. 

Jacob Young, Sen., 

Jacob J. A. Young, Collectors — 

John J. A. Young, George Dilt's list. $38.69 

Lewis Chamberlin, Jacob Case's " 38.28 

Widow Rebecca Schenck, Wm. Fisher's " 30.71 

Peter H. Young, 

Paul Kuhl, Jr., $107.68 

The subscriptions in the above run very low, caused 
doubtless in part by the large amount of funds held by 
the Church. These are Semi-annual subscriptions. The 
largest one is by David Bishop $3.00. The smallest is 
.33 of which there are several. Prevailing amount runs 
from $1.17 to $1.75 with five above $2.00 besides David 
Bishop's. There are 80 in all. 

To complete the list as time went on, November, 18 10, 
add John Kee and Jeremiah Geary. In 1812, Amos 
Hartley; November, 1812, Widow of Nathaniel Wilson; 
1813, James Sutphin, Polly Williamson and Elizabeth 
Young. Collectors for 1813 were Captain John Schenck, 
salary $3.13, also David Schenck, Titus Quick. 18 14 
collectors, Jacob Case, George Dilts, William Fisher and 
add Widow Henry Williamson. 18 15, we have Dr. 
John Kendry. November, 18 15, is the last time the 
Church has the subscription of David Bishop. February 
5th, 18 16, Trustees met at the house of Joseph Kugler 
and settled with the executors of David Bishop, deceased, 
late President, and received all the books belonging to the 



INTERMEDIATE PERIOD— 1 776-1820 159 

First United Congregations of Amwell, and also received 
from the executors $1,424.25, being the balance due said 
United Congregation (Old Book, p. 73). 



PERIOD III. 
The Modern Period, i 820-1 900. 



11 



PERIOD III. 

THE SEVENTH PASTOR, THE REV. JOHN FLAVEL CLARK, 
l820 1836. 

As stated heretofore at a meeting of the United First 
Church March 19th, 18 18, at the Stone House, it was 
decided to dissolve the connection existing between the 
German Church and the First Church, in order that 
each branch might elect Trustees for itself. We have no 
record of the trustees chosen, as the result of this motion. 
It is only stated that the Trustees of the First English 
Presbyterian Church of Amwell met at their meeting 
house April 24th, 181 8, and that Titus Quick, President 
of the Trustees, received from George Dilts, late Presi- 
dent of the United Church, the money and books belong- 
ing to the First Church. Also that John P. Quick, 
Thomas Wilson and Tunis Quick were collectors of the 
salary to pay Mr. Kirkpatrick, who continued to serve 
the First Church as pastor, as heretofore until November. 
This implies that these three persons, together with Titus 
Quick, were four of said Trustees. 

The congregation of the First Church met October 
1 2th, 1818, with Jacob Young as President and John Kee 
as Clerk, in order to make arrangements to meet the 
Presbytery of Newton in conformity with their citation. 
The meeting then adjourned to meet October 26th. The 
following commissioners were then appointed to attend 
the meeting of the Presbytery of Newton the first Tues- 
day of November next, viz. : Tunis Quick, Enos Lanning, 
Abraham R. Sutphin, Jacob J. Young and John Kee. 



1 64 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

The commissioners were instructed to use their endeavors 
to perpetuate the connection with the Second Church of 
Amwell in support of a minister of the gospel. This was 
an adjourned meeting of Presbytery and was held No- 
vember 3d at what was then the United First Church, 
which was the corporate title assumed by that Church 
after it severed its connection with Amwell First. As 
you know, the effort to continue the connection with the 
Second Church for the support of a pastor did not suc- 
ceed. Amwell First was thus left alone and without a 
pastor. 

A meeting of the congregation was held at the Church 
November 19th, 1818, to decide upon their future course, 
and another meeting the 8th of December. It was de- 
cided that the pews should be free until May next, and 
that the money to pay the supplies should be raised by 
subscription. 

Zaccur Prall and Garret Schenck were appointed col- 
lectors, from which it may be inferred that they also were 
Trustees. The church remained without a pastor until 
1820, being served in the meantime by supplies. 

We have the list of subscribers to this fund for supplies, 
which is especially interesting as showing who adhered 
to the church after the separation. 

The first on the list is Captain John Schenck, which 
gives us the right to claim this revolutionary hero as be- 
longing to our church. His remains, as you know, rest 
in our cemetery. He was one of the largest contributors 
to this fund to pay the supplies for the next six months. 
His subscription was $3 for six months, only three others, 
viz., Peter Prall, Derrick Sutphin and Titus Quick, giv- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 165 

ing as much. It must be remembered that only a small 
amount was required for this purpose. 

The whole list is as follows: 

Captain John Schenck, Jonathan Hoagland, Abraham 
Williamson, Lucretia Williamson, Jacob J. Young, Wil- 
liam Hortman, William Young, Sen., Richard Sked, 
Peter Snook, William Fisher, Joseph Sutphin, Ralph 
Young, Benjamin Young, Mary Young, Uriel Phillips, 
John W. Young, John Campbell, Henry Young, Sen., 
William P. Young, Jacob J. Quick, Abraham Servis, 
John P. Young, John R. Wilson, Wm. Williamson, 
Jacob Schenck, Major Wm. G. Schenck, William Prall, 
David Rickoff, Peter Prall, Peter Prall, Jr., Garret J. 
Quick, Abm. Prall, Peter P. Quick, Arthur Sutphin, 
Derrick Sutphin, David Manners, Derrick Sutphin, Jr., 
Henry Young, Jr., Ruben Runyon, Garret J. Schenck, 
Jacob J. Young, Peter P. Young, John J. Young, Titus 
Quick, Tunis Quick, Benjamin Johnson, Abraham Gu- 
lick, Aaron Prall, Robert Stout, Abraham Sutphin, Jacob 
Wilson, Catherine Stout, Isaac Prall, Garret William- 
son, John P. Quick, Gideon Quick, Mary Schenck, John 
Kee, Isaac Taylor, John Blackwell, Thomas Prall, An- 
drew Blackwell, Mary Wilson, James S. Sutphin, Zaccur 
Prall, Joel Wolverton, David Bellis, Isaac Houshel, 
William W. Schenck, Johnathan H. Covenhoven, 
Thomas Wilson, Rebecca Schenck, Elizabeth Brooks, 
Mary Hoagland, Rebecca Hoagland, Enos Lanning, 
Lewis Labaw. In all seventy-seven subscribers. (From 
minutes congregation, pages 99 and 100). 

The clergymen who supplied the pulpit during the 
two years in which the church was without a pastor were 



1 66 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

Revs. Garner Hunt, George W. Gale, John F. Clark, 
L. F. Leake, John Boyd, Jacob Kirkpatrick, Aaron Babbit, 
James S. Woods, Benjamin J. Lowe, John H. Smaltz, 
Cyrus Gildersleeve, Enoch Burt, David Bishop, William 
Sloan, Joseph Campbell and Horace Galpin. 

The Rev. Joseph Campbell was at the time pastor at 
Hackettstown. From 1838 to 1840 he was pastor of the 
Milford and Kingwood Presbyterian churches. At this 
time I attended on his ministry w T ith my parents, and at 
his hands received the rite of baptism. He married, for 
his second wife, a Mrs. Chamberlain, of Flemington, 
formerly a Miss Sutphin, whose kindred are with us, at 
this day. The sum paid the supplies was sometimes six 
and sometimes eight dollars for the Sabbath service. 

There was a meeting of the congregation held August 
1 6th, 1 8 19, when Jacob J. Young was chosen Moderator, 
and Thomas Wilson Clerk. The object of this meeting 
was to consider the propriety of uniting with the Re- 
formed Church of Neshanic and together becoming one 
pastoral charge. The movement was discussed with in- 
terest and a decided disposition for the union was mani- 
fested. A committee of conference was appointed to 
meet a similar committee from the Neshanic church. 
These committees were, from Amwell, Titus Quick, 
John Schenck and Jacob J. Young; from Neshanic, it 
was Henry H. Schenck, John Wyckoff, Jr., and Nicholas 
Williamson. The committees met at Cookstown, August 
1 8th, 1 8 19, when John Schenck was chosen chairman and 
Nicholas Williamson clerk. The following propositions 
were submitted by the Neshanic committee, viz. : 1st. 
That Amwell should come under the Classis of Philadel- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 167 

phia; 2d. Call the Rev. Mr. Smaltz, who was then the 
pastor of the Neshanic church; 3d. The Neshanic church 
should take one-third of Mr. Smaltz's service and pay 
one-third of the salary. The committee of Amwell 
agreed to these propositions. The last one shows the 
relative strength of the two churches at that time. 

A meeting of the First English Presbyterian congrega- 
tion was called at the church the first of September, 18 19, 
for the purpose of receiving the report of their committee. 
Enos Lanning was chosen Moderator and Thomas Wil- 
son, Clerk. A motion was made and seconded to take 
the sense of the congregation on the first proposition made 
by the committee from the Neshanic church, viz.: "Shall 
Amwell come under the Classis of Philadelphia?" Car- 
ried in the negative. This action brought to a close the 
effort for a union with this neighboring church. And 
with all the good feelings toward this neighborly sister 
then and now the action of our church in the matter 
shows that attachment to the old Presbyterian name and 
the old ways was stronger than to a few dollars that 
would have been saved in salary by forming the union. 
And it is fair to infer if this crucial proposition had been 
submitted to the Neshanic people, asking them to change 
their name and ecclesiastical relation, the same negative 
vote would have been given. 

The decision by the Amwell First Church was the 
more significant of a firm attachment to the church of 
their fathers, because, since the recent separation from the 
other Amwell churches they evidently felt themselves un- 
equal to the support of a pastor alone. Happily for the 
church at this crisis Providence had ready at hand relief 



168 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

for them in this hour of need. Only a few days after the 
above action had taken place the following communica- 
tion was received from the Presbyterian Church of Flem- 
ington : 

"To the President of the Board of Trustees of the First 
English Presbyterian Church in Amwell: 

"Gentlemen — At a large meeting of the pew holders 
of the Flemington Presbyterian congregation at their 
meeting house on Sunday, December 4th, 18 19, it was 
unanimously resolved that a committee be appointed from 
their body to confer with a committee that may be ap- 
pointed from your body, in relation to a union of the 
two congregations under one pastor; and that Isaac Hill, 
Sen., Christopher Cool, Andrew Van Fleet, Cornelius 
Wyckofjf and William Williamson be the committee for 
this congregation. 

"This committee are entrusted with full and ample 
powers to negotiate for us in this transaction, and any 
assurances that they may give in writing, or any agree- 
ments or arrangements that they may make as our repre- 
sentatives, are to be considered as binding and obligator} 7 
upon us. 

"On motion it was further resolved that the President 
of the Board of Trustees * * * do immediately com- 
municate to the President of the Board of Trustees of 
your congregation. * * * I would beg leave to re- 
quest, agreeably to a suggestion made at their meeting, 
that you would communicate to our Board what steps you 
may take * * * in the appointment of a committee 
from your congregation ; of whom it may consist, the time 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820 1900 169 

and place that would be most convenient to them to meet 
the committee of this congregation. 

"As a representative of the voice of this church, I can- 
not forbear to remark that a sincere regard to the inter- 
ests of the Gospel, and the good of society in this part of 
the county induces us to hope that the disposition and 
measures of this church will be reciprocated on your part. 
The event is with Him in whose hands are the hearts of 
all men, and who will do good to his church as shall seem 
best to his infinite wisdom, that both this church and 
yours, whether separated or united, may be blessed with 
the smiles of an overruling Providence is the sincere 
wish of 

"Your friend and servant, 

"David P. Shrope, President." 

The cordiality and spirituality of the above communi- 
cation are so marked that I have considered it worthy of 
being copied almost entire as an interesting part of this 
history. To this communication the following response 
was sent: 

"December 20th, 18 19. 
"Sir — We have had a meeting of the congregation, at 
the old Meeting House, and agreed to appoint a commit- 
tee to meet yours at your request on the third day of Jan- 
uary next, at the house of Isaac Hill. The following is 
the committee appointed by the Amwell First Church: 
Derrick Sutphin, Titus Quick, Enos Lanning, Jacob J. 
Young and James Sutphin. 

"Titus Quick, President." 



170 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

Following the conference of these committees, a meet- 
ing of the Amwell congregation was held at the church, 
April ist, 1820, at which Tunis T. Quick was chosen 
Moderator and John Kee, Clerk. At this meeting it was 
decided to join with the Flemington congregation in sup- 
porting the gospel. The Rev. John Flavel Clark was at 
this time pastor of the church at Flemington, which office 
he had held since June, 18 15. 

The Amwell congregation also agreed at this meeting 
to make out a call for half the services of the Rev. Mr. 
Clark. This action was modified at a meeting of the 
congregation held at the church April 29th, 1820, when 
it was moved and unanimously carried to have Rev. Mr. 
Clark for a supply for three years. It was also agreed to 
pay Mr. Clark three hundred and twenty-five dollars for 
his services, in half yearly payments. At this meeting 
Titus Quick was Moderator and George Wilson, Clerk. 
The congregation again met at the church July ist, 1820, 
with Tunis T. Quick Moderator and John Kee Clerk, 
when nominations were made of persons to be chosen as 
Trustees. Also the following committee was appointed 
to confer with the Flemington congregation about getting 
a minister, viz. : Titus Quick, Jacob J. Young and Enos 
Lanning. The meeting then adjourned to meet August 
1 2th, when the following persons were chosen Trustees, 
viz. : Titus Quick, Jacob J. Young, William W. Schenck, 
Aaron Prall, John P. Quick, Abraham Sutphin and Peter 
P. Quick. 

The congregation met September 27th, 1820, to receive 
the report of the committee appointed to confer with the 
Flemington committee relative to the union of the two 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 171 

congregations and securing the services for half of Mr. 
Clark's time. The Flemington people had modified the 
offer of the Amwell congregation by proposing that each 
congregation should pay Mr. Clark $350. This was not 
approved by the Amwell people and the committee was 
again instructed to confer with the Flemington committee 
relative to a union of the two congregations, and for se- 
curing the services for half the time of Rev. Mr. Clark. 
As a result of the conference it was agreed at a meeting, 
date not given, to make a call for one-half of Mr. Clark's 
time, and for this service each congregation was to pay 
him $325 annually, and that this arrangement was to 
continue for three years. You will notice that the union 
was finally consummated substantially on the terms of- 
fered by the Amwell people April 29th. At these several 
meetings Tunis T. Quick was Moderator and John Kee 
Clerk. 

At a meeting of the Presbytery of Newton, in New 
York, October 17th, 1820, a written application was re- 
ceived from the First Presbyterian congregation of Am- 
well requesting that the Rev. John F. Clark be appointed 
a supply in said congregation for one-half his time, for 
three years. Presbytery having satisfactory evidence that 
such an arrangement would meet the wishes of the people 
of Flemington, and Mr. Clark consenting, he was ap- 
pointed a supply to Amwell, as requested. 

Dr. Mott gives some interesting facts on the State of 
the country, which led the Flemington people to propose 
the union of the two congregations, the influence of 
which were doubtless as weighty with the Amwell people 
as with those of Flemington. "The church had enjoyed 



172 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

the exclusive services of Mr. Clark until 1820. But the 
last four years had been a season of financial depression. 
The whole country was very poor. Money was scarce. 
In the summer of 1816 there were frost and ice every 
month. Nearly all the crops failed. An extensive emi- 
gration to Ohio was the consequence. Farmers in this 
region had little to sell; and their produce was carried 
a long distance, and then the price obtained was small. 
More and more the congregation felt its inability to con- 
tinue the whole support of Mr. Clark. Arrearages now 
amounted to $580 — more than a year's salary. So 
thoughts were turned toward a union with the old Am- 
well Church." And this church not having been alone in 
the support of a pastor since 1754, with the same con- 
ditions in the country, made our people feel the like need 
of union for the support of the gospel. Doubtless this 
common experience made them patient with each other 
during the numerous conferences held, and led each party 
to surrender enough of their own preferences to impart 
strength and harmony to the union secured. 

At the same congregational meeting (minute not dated) 
at which the Amwell people recognize the consummation 
of the union, it was decided to appropriate one hundred 
and sixty-two dollars and fifty cents of the interest money 
from the funds of the church towards raising the three 
hundred and twenty-five dollars which they agreed to pay 
the Rev. John F. Clark for one-half his ministerial ser- 
vices, and the remainder to be raised by subscription. 

A congregational meeting was held September 6th, 
1823, with Titus Quick as Moderator, and John Kee, 
Clerk. It was decided at this meeting to renew the call 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 173 

to Mr. Clark for three years, with the same salary as 
before. At the same time a committee, consisting of John 
P. Quick, Aaron Prall and Abraham P. Sutphin, was ap- 
pointed to consult with Mr. Clark, and also with the 
Flemington congregation. At the meeting of Presbytery 
at Hackettstown October 7, 1823, a written request was 
received from Amwell congregation for the reappointment 
of Mr. Clark as Supply for three years on the same terms 
as heretofore. The Presbytery being informed that the 
pecuniary difficulties of the church were such as to render 
it inexpedient to present a regular call, the request was 
granted. This shows how slow the churches were to 
learn the blessedness of giving. 

Presbytery met at Newton, October 3d, 1826. At this 
meeting calls in due form were received by Mr. Clark 
from the congregations of Flemington and Amwell First 
Churches to become their pastor, giving one-half his time 
at each place. These calls being found in order, were 
put into the hands of Mr. Clark, who stated that he was 
not at that time ready to accept them. At an adjourned 
meeting of the Presbytery held at Elizabeth, October 
1 8th, 1826, Mr. Clark accepted the calls already in his 
hands. Strange that for the action of the congregation 
making this regular call we have in our books no record 
whatever. Our information is derived from the records 
of the Presbytery of Newton, through the kindness of 
Rev. E. Clark Cline, Stated Clerk of that Presbytery, to 
whom we are also indebted for the other references to the 
action of that Presbytery. 

The calls being accepted, Presbytery adjourned to meet 
at Amwell First Church on the fourth Tuesday of No- 



174 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

vember next and install Mr. Clark pastor of the congre- 
gations of Amwell First Church and of Flemington. Pres- 
bytery convened at Amwell November 28th, at which 
meeting the following members were present : Revs. Jacob 
Kirkpatrick, John F. Clark, Jehiel Talmage, John C. 
Vandervoort, William Blauvelt, of Lamington, and Elder 
John Hageman from Amwell First. In this service Rev. 
Mr. Blauvelt preached the sermon, Rev. Mr. Kirkpatrick 
presided, Rev. Mr. Vandervoort gave the charge to the 
pastor, and Rev. Mr. Talmage gave the charge to the 
people. In consequence of this service the church once 
more had a pastor, instead of a Supply, and the relation 
continued for ten years. To go back one year, and we 
find that at a meeting of the congregation held August 
30th, 1825, the question of building a new meeting house 
was agitated. The decision, however, was to repair the 
old house to an amount not exceeding $600, of which sum 
one-half might be taken, if necessary, from the funds of 
the church. John P. Quick, William G. Schenck and 
William P. Prall were appointed a committee as man- 
agers of the repairs. When they rendered their account 
it was found that the sum expended was $432.62. The 
committee received from the congregation a vote of 
thanks for their diligence and punctuality. 

April 6th, 1826, the following Trustees were elected, 
viz.: John P. Quick, John Kee, George F. Wilson, Peter 
P. Quick, William R. Prall, Titus Quick and Jonathan 
Hoagland. This is the last record of the election of 
Trustees during Mr. Clark's pastorate. 

Titus Quick had been President of the Board and 
Treasurer from 1821 to 1825. The receipts for salary 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 175 

show that John P. Quick filled that office from 1826 to 
April, 1 83 1, and George F. Wilson from November, 
1 83 1, to the close of Mr. Clark's connection with the 
church in 1836. While the books give the names of fifty- 
eight contributors to the salary in 1821, and sixty-two in 
1822, one is impressed with the small amount given by 
each, ranging from twenty-five cents to four dollars for 
the half year, and very few reached the larger amount. 
The books show that the total amount contributed each 
six months for several years was from sixty-two to sixty- 
four dollars, instead of eighty-one, as promised in the 
call. But as the receipts of the pastor show that the 
salary was paid in full, it must have been taken either 
from the funds or raised in some other way. The former 
is the more probable. These statements are in accord 
with that made to Presbytery in 1823, that the church 
did not make out a call in due form because of financial 
inability. The church at this time either was very poor, 
or felt itself very poor. The minutes of the Session also 
show that at this time there was a low state of piety in the 
church, and the common tendency of this state of things 
is to produce a low condition in treasury. The philosophy 
of the situation is that men only give voluntarily to that 
in which they are interested. The Amwell Church is 
again evidence for this, because very soon after the re- 
vival of 1829 and 1830, the church began to agitate the 
question of having a pastor's whole time, and actually ac- 
complished this and built the new church too, while pass- 
ing through the financial crisis of 1837. 

One is also impressed with the small number of com- 
municants in the church now, when it had been organized 



1 76 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

nearly or quite one hundred years. We must remember, 
however, that the case is not nearly so bad as it appears, 
because while we notice the small number of the church's 
members, we must remember the larger number of com- 
municants who have gone out from this mother church 
to the new churches formed on what was originally the 
field occupied by this church alone. And yet here is the 
fact alluded to. We discovered a small half sheet of 
paper on which is inscribed, evidently in Mr. Clark's 
own handwriting, the list of communicants of the church 
as he found them when he began preaching for the church 
as a Supply October 28th, 1820. That list is as follows: 
Titus Quick, Elder, Mrs. Hannah Quick, Mrs. Mary 
Prall, wife of Dr. William Prall, Mrs. Mary Hoagland, 
Mrs. Mary Wilson, Mr. Isaac Taylor, Mrs. Margaret 
Taylor, Mr. John Kee, Mrs. Mary Schenck, wife of Wil- 
liam G. Schenck, Mrs. Sarah Prall, wife of Abram Prall, 
Mrs. Ann Sutphin, wife of Derrick Sutphin, Mrs. Lu- 
cretia Prall, wife of Theodore Prall, Mr. Tunis Quick, 
Mrs. Rhoda Quick, Mrs. Mary Schenck, widow, Mr. 
and Mrs. Enos Lanning, in all seventeen. There was not 
a young man nor a young woman among them. 

During Mr., Clark's connection with this church and 
that at Flemington the arrangement was that he should 
be with each church on alternate Sabbaths. There would 
be a sermon in the morning, then an hour for recess, and 
after luncheon another service. "On communion Sab- 
baths the members of the two churches, as far as possible, 
assembled around the table in whichever church the ser- 
vice was held" (Mott). To some degree the same inter- 
change in attendance took place on other Sabbaths. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 177 

The first meeting of the Session under Rev. John F. 
Clark was held March 27th, 1821, at the house of Mrs. 
Mary Wilson near the church. And this is the first 
meeting of the Session of this church of which we have 
any record. All previous Sessional records in any form 
whatever being lost. The place of this meeting, at the 
residence of Mrs. Mary Wilson, is worthy of historical 
reference. Mrs. Wilson was the widow of Nathaniel 
Wilson, who purchased the parsonage and adjoining plan- 
tation in 1806. The records show that after this date 
the Session frequently convened at her home. And there 
is a pleasing tradition that her home was made the hos- 
pitable home of any and all clergymen visiting or in any 
way serving the church. She was the daughter of Jacob 
Fisher. Her birth is not given in family records in hand, 
but occurred evidently at or near the beginning of the 
last quarter of the eighteenth century, as shown by the 
births of brothers and sisters. She was a granddaughter 
of Peter Fisher. Peter Fisher came to this country from 
Germany in the early part of the eighteenth century and 
settled on lands long owned by the late Caleb Fisher. 
Snell's History of Hunterdon County places his coming 
in 1729. While a writer on the Fisher family says his 
oldest son, Anthony, was baptized in the Reading Church 
in 1725. This Mary Wilson was the mother of George 
F. Wilson, who for more than twenty years was an Elder 
in the church, and long the Clerk of the Session. The 
Session above referred to was opened with prayer. Mem- 
bers present: Rev. John Flavel Clark, Moderator, and 
Titus Quick, the only Elder in the church, Mr. Isaac 

Hill, an Elder in the church at Flemington, being present, 
12 



178 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

was invited to sit as a corresponding member. Also 
Messrs. Tunis Quick, Enos Lanning and John Hagemen, 
all church members, being present, were invited to sit 
with the Session. Mrs. Mary Sutphin, wife of Colonel 
Sutphin, and Miss Martha Foster, presenting themselves, 
were examined and received into the membership of the 
church. Session closed with prayer. 

Titus Quick, Clerk. 

April 22d, 1822, the Session received William Hall, 
on examination, to membership in this church. Septem- 
ber, 22d, 1822, John Hageman and his wife, Lucretia, 
were received on certificate for the Reformed Dutch 
Church at Neshanic, and Miss Catalina Van Harlingen 
from the Reformed Dutch Church of Millstone. Also 
Miss Rebecca Van Pelt, on certificate from the Presby- 
terian Church of Princeton. 

Messrs. Hageman and Tunis Quick were on this day 
nominated and elected to the office of Ruling Elder. And 
on the fouth day of October they were set apart to this of- 
fice by ordination. 

The Session met October 10th, 1822, and was opened 
with prayer. Mrs. Tenbrook, Mrs. Prall and Mrs. Sarah 
Sutphin were received after examination into the mem- 
bership of the church; also Mrs. Leah Mattison on cer- 
tificate from the United First Church of Amwell. 

April 8th, 1823, Peter Prall, Senior, was received on 
examination. 

October 20th, 1823, the Session met the church, all the 
members being present. After conversation on the low 
state of religion it was resolved to recommend Friday 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 179 

next, to be observed by this church as a day of humiliation, 
fasting and prayer. Mrs. Frances, wife of Polhemus 
Higgins, applied to be received to the sealing ordinances 
of the church. After careful examination her request 
was granted. 

May 8th, 1824, Mr. Derrick Sutphin appeared before 
Session and applied for church privileges. After satisfac- 
tory examination as to his views of divine truth and his 
acquaintance with experimental religion, it was unani- 
mously voted to receive him. 

At a meeting of Session October 18th, 1824, the mem- 
bers all present, it was again recommended to the church 
to set apart a day for fasting, because of the languishing 
state of religion and earnestly beseech of God the out- 
pouring of the Holy Spirit. 

November 17th, 1825, the Session met at the house of 
Mrs. Mary Wilson and received the following persons 
on examination, viz.: Mr. John Quick (evidently John 
P.), Mrs. Ann Blackwell and Mary Bellis, and Miss 
Betsy Ann Mattison. 

May 3d, 1826, Session met at the residence of Mrs. 
Sarah Wilson and spent an hour together in prayer and 
free conversation on the state of religion. Also pledged 
themselves to each other and to God to be more earnest 
in prayer, to God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 

November 9th, 1826, Session again met at the home 
of Mrs. Sarah Wilson and spent the time in prayer and 
free conversation about the state of the church. 

November 3d, 1827, the Session met at the house of 
Mrs. Wilson near the church (this is Mrs. Mary Wil- 
son). Elders all present. Mrs. Lanning, wife of John 



180 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

G. Lanning, produced a certificate from the Presbyterian 
Church at Chenango Point, New York, which being 
found in order, she was admitted to the membership of 
the church. 

April 15th, 1828, Mrs. Margaret Blue was received 
on examination. 

At a meeting of Session in 1828 it was resolved that 
pastoral visitation by the Session should have attention in 
efforts to promote the spiritual welfare of the church. 
Similar duties and observances were recommended on two 
or three other occasions while Mr. Clark was with the 
church. These endeavors show very deep concern and 
great faithfulness on the part of the pastor, and it is note- 
worthy that he secured the co-operation of the Elders. 
On the other hand the misdemeanors recorded and the 
several cases of discipline exercised at time for the most 
flagrant conduct, make it evident that there was reason 
for these measures. It is gratifying to know that such 
faithfulness had its reward. 

May 1st, 1829, the Session received Mrs. Catharine 
Quick, wife of Samuel Quick, into church membership 
by letter from the Reformed Dutch Church of Millstone. 

October 10th, 1829, we have a minute which shows 
how rigid the Session was in the administration of dis- 
cipline. We copy it as a part of the history and an ex- 
ample of the course pursued by the Session. A female 
member evidently of good social standing was charged 
by public rumor of having violated the seventh command- 
ment. At this meeting she voluntarily sent a letter to the 
Session acknowledging the guilt of which she was thus 
charged. Whereupon it was unanimously resolved that 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 181 

she be cut off from all the privileges of the church and her 
name be erased from the list of its members. Ordered 
further that the pastor address her a letter suitable to her 
case and informing her of the punishment inflicted on her. 
Usually it was added in cases of discipline, as our book 
requires, until the person gives satisfactory evidence of re- 
pentance. And it may be remarked that the many cases 
of discipline recorded, many of them for most flagrant 
conduct, make it evident that there was need of discipline. 
It is gratifying to know that the faithfulness on the part 
of pastor and elders had its reward. 

In 1829 and 1830 the church was favored with precious 
seasons of revival. 

October 17th, 1829, the Session received on examina- 
tion George F. Wilson and Lucretia, his wife, Gideon 
Quick and Sarah Fisher (first teacher in Sunday School) 
his wife, Jacob Schenck and Jane, his wife, Sarah, the 
wife of Lewis Labaw, and Ann, the wife of Jonathan 
Hoagland. 

November 28th, 1829, Session received on examination 
Lewis Labaw and Eliza Skillman to the sacrament of 
baptism and the Lord's Supper. 

December 12th, 1829, Alpheus Chamberlin and Cath- 
arine, his wife, Peter Young and Elizabeth, his wife, Jo- 
seph Sutphin and Mary, his wife, and Polhemus Higgins 
were received on examination. 

January 9th, 1830, John Holcomb, Alexander Mc- 
Gaw, Mrs. Margaret Stryker, Miss Julia Ann Case and 
Samuel, a man of color, were received to church member- 
ship after due examination. This is the last meeting at- 
tended by Elder Titus Quick. He acted as Clerk of Ses- 



1 82 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

sion from the beginning of Mr. Clark's pastorate to the 
present time, the period of eight years and a few months. 
There is no record of his death in the minutes, but we 
find in the Trustee book that November 19th, 1832, Ger- 
shom Quick, his executor, had settled with the Treasurer 
of the church and paid over from his estate the balance 
due the church on his subscription. 

January 23d, 1830, William G. Schenck, Henry 
Schenck and Eliza, his wife, Peter Quick and Ann, his 
wife, and Abraham Prall, after careful examination, were 
received into church membership. The minute is signed 
by Elder John Hageman, who appears as the Clerk of 
Session. 

November 26th, 1831, at the meeting of Session we 
find Peter Young and John R. Quick and George F. 
Wilson enrolled among the Elders, but we have no record 
of their election and ordination to this office. At this 
meeting the Session received on examination Joseph Van 
Marter, Jacob Polhemus, Eliza Prall, Charity Meldrum, 
Peggy Schenck, Debora Van Ness, Gabriel and Caleb 
Farley, men of color, and Caty, a woman of color. 

May 9th, 1832, Miss Margaret Bowman was received 
on examination. 

November 16th, 1832, the Session, after examination, 
received Miss Harriet Schenck, Miss Jane Schenck, Hart 
Wilson and Amelia, his wife, Mrs. Nathaniel Wilson, 
and Nean, a man of color. 

May 17th, 1833, in this minute we find that applicants 
for church membership were examined as to their views 
of doctrine, and their experimental piety. At this meet- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 183 

ing the Session received Mrs. Mary, wife of John Young, 
and Keziah, a woman of color. 

November 13th, 1833, received to sealing ordinance of 
the church, after examination, Jonathan Conover, John 
Young and Betty, a woman of color. 

Under this date of May 17th, 1833, there is an addi- 
tional minute stating that Elder Tunis Quick, charged 
with frequent litigation and detention of property after 
he had sold it, was by unanimous vote of Session sus- 
pended from the communion of the church. 

May 7th, 1834, tne Session received on examination 
Frank, a man of color, belonging to Gideon Quick, and 
Miss Margaret Bowman. 

November 9th, 1834, Mrs. Sarah Ann Wilson, wife of 
Nathaniel Wilson, was received on examination into the 
membership of the church. 

May, 1836, Miss Gertrude Edwards was received on 
examination to church membership. This meeting was 
the last at which Mr. Clark was present. 

The whole number received by Mr. Clark on examina- 
tion was seventy-two and on certificate nine. The total 
membership of the church at the time of his leaving was 
eighty-eight. The church had reached the point of being 
able to support a pastor alone, and the steps had been 
taken for its accomplishment. 

A few facts must here be recorded not found in the 
Sessional records. For these we are indebted to Dr. 
Mott. "For almost sixteen years the union between 
Flemington Church and the Amwell First Church had 
existed harmoniously. Then on March 4th, 1836, a com- 
munication was received from the mother church express- 



1 84 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

ing the kindest feelings and grateful remembrances of the 
pleasant associations of the past, but stating in their judg- 
ment the time had come when the interests of each con- 
gregation would be best served by a discontinuance of 
this relation ; it added that they desired the entire services 
of a pastor. They requested that the union might be dis- 
solved at the approaching meeting of Presbytery in April. 
This feeling had been forming for four years previous. 
Hence it was not a sudden impulse, nor did it grow out 
of any friction between these churches. On the 9th of 
April the Flemington congregation formerly concurred in 
the request. On the 21st of April the Flemington con- 
gregation met and made out a call to Mr. Clark asking 
for his whole time and offering as salary $500. A similar 
call wa sextended to Mr. Clark by the mother church. 

The Presbytery of Newton met at Harmony, Warren 
County, on the 26th of April. These calls each for Mr. 
Clark's whole time were placed in his hands on the 27th. 
Thereupon he signified his acceptance of the call from 
Amwell First, and requested that the pastoral relation 
between himself and the Flemington Church might be dis- 
solved. The request was granted. For these acts of 
Presbytery I am indebted to Rev. E. Clark Cline, Stated 
Clerk. 

The hopes inspired by Mr. Clark's acceptance of the 
call from Amwell were soon disappointed, since Mr. 
Clark remained as sole pastor of our church for only a 
few months. The relation terminated December 27th, 
1836. The only reference to this in the minutes is the 
following, viz., that "the Session met January 15th, 1837, 
at the house of John P. Quick, and was opened with 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 185 

prayer; and then the minutes add that our former pastor, 
Rev. Mr. Clark, having left us to labor in Paterson, N. 
J., Elder George Fisher Wilson was unanimously chosen 
Chairman of the Session." To return to Mr. Clark he 
accepted a call to the First Presbyterian Church of Pater- 
son. He remained at Paterson for six years. He then 
accepted a call to the Presbyterian Church of Oyster Bay, 
L. I., recently become famous as the summer home of 
President Roosevelt. The pastorate at Oyster Bay con- 
tinued for only one year. His next settlement was as 
pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Fishkill village, 
Duchess County, N. Y., where he labored for eight years. 
He died in this charge in 1853 at the a g e of sixty-nine 
years. 

The Rev. John Flavel Clark came to this church at a 
time of great difficulty in the church and great depression 
in the country. - The life of the church was at a low ebb. 
Having previously had the services and support of a pas- 
tor for only one-fourth of his time for many years the 
financial ability of the church was almost wholly unde- 
veloped. The large funds in the hands of the church 
doubtless led to this indifference, creating a tendency to 
depend on the funds in hand, rather than to give them- 
selves to work in hand. By God's blessing on the pas- 
tor's labors the church was eventually much revived 
and felt the thrill of a new spiritual life. As a conse- 
quence, the church began to realize her ability and be- 
come willing to perform her duty. By degrees the desire 
was begotten for a pastor's whole time and the church 
was ready to assume his support. In addition to this the 
congregation was getting ready to undertake the building 



1 86 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

of a new church. Further, to Mr. Clark belongs the 
honor of having organized our Sabbath School. The date 
of the organization has not been preserved, but we have 
been able, with the help of the late Mr. Jacob Quick, to 
assign its origin to the year 1828, with the assurance that 
this date is substantially, if not absolutely correct. The 
statement of Mr. Quick was this: That he attended the 
Sabbath School when first organized and that his mother, 
Mrs. Sarah Fisher Quick (wife of Gideon), and Paul 
Kuhl were teachers. It was his recollection that he was 
ten years of age at the time. This gave us the date as 
above. George Fisher Wilson and John Hageman were 
also teachers at this early period. This opinion of Jacob 
was concurred in by his brother, Elder Caleb Farley 
Quick. 

Also it is to be remembered that Mr. Clark (at the 
time pastor of the Flemington Church alone) was present 
at and delivered an address at the organization of the 
Hunterdon County Bible Society in 181 6. 

Mr. Clark was also the first pastor of this church to 
secure regular contributions to the cause of missions. Be- 
fore this time there had, in fact, been collections for mis- 
sions, and the first pastors of the church, at times, left the 
church for months at a time and did missionary work in 
destitute places under the appointment of Presbytery. The 
work then was largely among the Indians of our own and 
neighboring states. Contributions were also secured for 
the education of young men for the ministry. But the 
work was more or less irregular. Mr. Clark gave to this 
effort a degree of system and regularity. The collections 
at first were indeed small, being as low as two dollars a 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 187 

year, then up to ten. But in 1832, soon after the revival 
Amwell and Flemington each gave $25 to missions. Col- 
lections were also taken for the Bible Society, for the 
education of young men to the ministry, and for the 
Theological Seminary at Princeton. The great achieve- 
ment, however, was to get the movement fairly started. 
Having said so much of the pastor, a few statements con- 
cerning Mr. Clark's personal history will certainly be 
appropriate. 

John Flavel Clark was the eldest of the three sons of 
Dr. Joseph Clark, who was pastor of the First Presby- 
terian Church of New Brunswick from 1796 to 1813. 
John graduated from Princeton College in 1807, holding 
rank among the first scholars in his class. After gradua- 
tion, he was engaged in teaching for some time in Georgia. 
He began the study of divinity at Andover in 18 10, and 
there became acquainted with Newell, Mills and Judson, 
the pioneers in the cause of foreign missions. Before his 
course of study was completed, he was chosen tutor at 
Princeton College and held the position for three years. 
He pursued his theological studies in. the meantime under 
Dr. Ashbel Green, President of the College. From this 
position he was called to Flemington as a Stated Supply 
for three months, beginning in November, 18 14, at the 
rate of $600 a year. This resulted in his being called to 
become pastor, and he was ordained and installed over 
that church June 14th, 181 5. He became Supply for 
Amwell First in 1820. His connection with this church 
for the next sixteen years has been described. Of the sev- 
enty-three persons received into the membership of the 
church on examination and six on certificate, not one is 



1 88 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

now with us. But many of our older people who sat 
under his ministry in their youth well remember him and 
his wife. 

It was my privilege to attend the semi-centennial anni- 
versary of the Presbytery of Newton in 1867. Rev. D. 
X. Junkin, D. D., delivered the historical discourse on 
that occasion. Of his friend, John Flavel Clark, he said : 
"Many here will remember his large, portly frame, his 
pleasant beaming countenance, his genial companionship, 
his exhaustless fund of anecdote, his kindly, generous 
heart, his clear, loud and commanding voice, his impres- 
sive appearance and solemn manner in the pulpit. He 
was a good preacher and a good man. Some were of 
opinion that his wonderful powers of wit and anecdotal 
conversation impaired his usefulness, but as far as my ob- 
servation extended this power was kept under the restraint 
of good taste and piety, and whilst it made him the life 
of the social circle, I never saw it interfere with the 
graver duties of his ministry." 

I deem it appropriate to add a word concerning Mrs. 
Clark, since the wife of the pastor has often a difficult 
position to fill and upon her faithfulness in the home 
duties, as well as those which pertain to her as a member 
of the church very much of her husband's standing and 
usefulness depends. Mrs. Clark was a sister to the late 
Mrs. Jane Maxwell Green, of Easton, to whose daughter 
I was married in i860. She was also a sister of the late 
John Maxwell Sherrerd, for years a leader of the bar in 
Belvidere, and also a most useful and highly honored 
Elder in the Presbyterian Church there. While I did not 
have the privilege of an acquaintance with this uncle and 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 189 

aunt, I have naturally come to know something of them 
personally. Mary Sherrerd, wife of Rev. John F. Clark, 
was the daughter of Samuel Sherrerd and Ann Maxwell, 
his wife, of Pleasant Valley, Warren County, N. J. She 
was the granddaughter of Captain John Maxwell, of the 
Revolutionary Army. Captain Maxwell, though of in- 
ferior rank, was not inferior in his patriotism to his more 
distinguished brother, General William Maxwell, a mem- 
ber of Washington's staff. In the darkest hour of the 
conflict, when Washington was retreating through the 
Jerseys, Captain Maxwell raised a company of one hun- 
dred men in and around Greenwich, and with these, ten- 
dered his services to the great chieftain. He was present 
at and had a part in the battles of Trenton, Princeton 
Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and Springfield. 
The Rev. Joseph Clark, D. D., father of John Flavel 
Clark, served on Washington's staff during the Revolu- 
tion. This gives you a glimpse of the patriotic blood in 
the veins of this honored pastor and his wife. And if the 
piety and good judgment of Mrs. Clark were like that 
of her sisters and her brother, of which I have no doubt, 
then she was as true to her Saviour as grandparents were 
to their country. Her son, Dr. Samuel Clark, late of 
Belvidere, was an honor to these godly parents, and their 
grandson, Judge Flavel Magee, of Jersey City, and an 
Elder in the First Church there, is also continuing in the 
ways of his pious ancestors.* Those who have inherited 
the labors, the faithfulness and the prayers of such a pas- 
tor as Rev. John F. Clark, have reason for gratitude to 



*Written in 1898. Judge Magee has since died. 



190 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

God, and surely have a strong incentive to unswerving 
fidelity to the Saviour. 

THE EIGHTH PASTOR, REV. DAVID HULL, 
1837— 1844. 

The pastoral relation between Amwell First Church 
and the Rev. John Flavel Clark having been dissolved 
December 27th, 1836, the Session met January 15th, 
1837, when Elder George F. Wilson was elected Chair- 
man of Session, and John Hageman, Clerk. 

March 14th, 1837, at a meeting of the Session, the 
Chairman was directed to invite the Rev. David Hull to 
preach for this church as a candidate. Mr. Hull was a 
young man who had been ordained as an evangelist the 
previous year by the Presbytery of Northumberland. At 
a meeting of the Session, held April 12th, 1837, the record 
of which states that Mr. Hull having preached several 
times for us it was decided to receive him as a supply for six 
months, and George F. Wilson, the delegate to Presby- 
tery, was instructed to ask Presbytery to appoint him to 
this service. Mr. Hull was received by the Presbytery of 
Newton April 25th, 1837, from the Presbytery of North- 
umberland, and the above request was granted. 

The Amwell First Church presented a call for the pas- 
toral services of the Rev. David Hull to the Presbytery of 
Newton, in session at Flemington, October 4th, 1837, 
and arrangements were made for his installation Novem- 
ber 23d following. At this service the Rev. John Mc- 
Nair, of Milford, was appointed to preside and preach 
the sermon, Rev. D. X. Junkin, of Greenwich, to charge 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 191 

the pastor, and the Rev. James M. Olmstead, of Flem- 
ington to charge the people. 

The installation took place as thus arranged and once 
more the church was equipped for action. 

The congregation met at the church April 26th, 1838, 
with George F. Wilson as Moderator and John Hage- 
man as Clerk. The following persons were then elected 
to the office of Trustees, viz.: Peter P. Quick, Joseph 
Van Marter, Gideon Quick, Jonathan H. Conover, 
Lewis Labaw, Jacob W. Schenck and George P. Rex, 
M. D. 

The President of the Board, Peter P. Quick, reported 
on the funds of the church as follows: Principal, $2,800, 
and interest due May 1st, 1838, $195.60. 

At a meeting of the congregation held at the church 
November 4th, 1837, with John Hageman as Moderator 
and Peter Prall Secretary, a motion was made to build 
a new meeting house at or near Greenville. 

After discussion, the meeting adjourned to meet the 
first Staurday in January, 1838. The congregation as- 
sembled, accordingly, and chose Jonathan H. Conover 
Moderator, and Peter Prall Secretary. The subject was 
again discussed and the meeting adjourned to the 10th 
day of February. At this meeting John Hageman was 
chosen Moderator and George B. Smith Secretary. The 
original motion was called up, when it was unanimously 
decided to be expedient to build a meeting house at or 
near Greenville. 

The following committee was appointed to secure sub- 
scriptions, viz: George F. Wilson, Gideon Quick, Jacob 
F. Prall, Jacob W. Schenck, and George P. Rex., M. D. 



192 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

The congregation met June 2nd following, when the 
committee reported having secured subscriptions amount- 
ing to $1,629.00. It was also stated by the committee 
that the uncertainty about the location was assigned by 
many persons as a reason for not subscribing. At the 
same time the committee expressed great satisfaction with 
the liberal subscriptions received, and the promise of 
further help as the work progressed. 

As the matter then stood eleven of those who had 
subscribed resided west of the church, and sixty-one on 
the east side. If the new church should be located at 
Greenville, twenty-seven would reside on the west and 
forty-four on the east side. This indicated Greenville as 
the more central location. 

It was then resolved that, inasmuch as only about one- 
half the sum needed for a new church had been sub- 
scribed, and that as there was great inequality in the 
subscriptions, that we appropriate so much of the prin- 
cipal of the church funds as may be necessary to erect a 
new house of worship, at or near Greenville. This mo- 
tion was unanimously adopted. An adjourned meeting 
of the congregation was held June 9th, at the schoolhouse 
in Greenville, at which John P. Quick was chosen Mod- 
erator and George F. Wilson Secretary. David S. Man- 
ners, Daniel Johnson and George P. Rex, M. D., were 
appointed a committee to ascertain whether it would be 
cheaper to build a brick or a frame building. And John 
Hageman and Peter P. Young were appointed to wait 
upon Jacob Williamson, Esq., and Mrs. Mary Manners 
to see if land could be procured for the church, and at 
what price. This committee reported that a half acre 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 193 

could be procured from the former for $100, and from 
the latter it could be obtained gratuitously. 

The congregation again met, August 18th, 1838, with 
John Hageman Moderator, and George P. Rex. Sec- 
retary. It was decided at this meeting to erect a build- 
ing 42 feet by 56, and that it be put up by contract. 
John Hageman, George F. Wilson, Gideon Quick, Ja- 
cob W. Schenck, and George P. Rex., M. D., were ap- 
pointed a committee to make the contract. 

The congregation met April 6th, 1839, in the old 
meeting house, wjhen Jonathan H. Conover was chosen 
Moderator, and George P. Rex Secertary. Peter P. 
Quick, Joseph Van Marter and Jonathan H. Conover 
tendered their resignation as Trustees for the congrega- 
tion. Their resignation was accepted, and Anthony L. 
Case, Jacob F. Prall and Ralph Young were elected to 
supply the vacancy. Abraham Prall, Sr., John P. Quick 
and George F. Wilson were appointed a committee to 
select the location for the church from the lots already 
reported on. While their choice is not recorded, we 
know that the church was erected on the land purchased 
from Jacob Williamson, Esq. We know also from the 
receipts preserved that the contract for building the 
church was given to Jacob Voorhees. 

A meeting of the Trustees was held April 13th, 1839, 
when Anthony L. Case, Jacob F. Prall and Ralph Young 
were sworn in as Trustees according to law, by James 
S. Manners, Esq. The Trustees then chose Anthony 
L. Case as president of the Board. 

We do not have a minute stating the amount for 
which the erection of the building was contracted, but 

13 



194 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

from tradition we learn that it included the free use of 
all available material from the old church. The con- 
tractors evidently agreed to pay for the work in three 
equal payments. For one of these we have the following 
receipt : 

July 15th, 1839. Rec'd from Anthony L. Case, one 
of the Trustees of the First English Presbyterian Church 
of Amwell, by order of the Contracting Committee, sev- 
en hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents, be- 
ing the second payment in full for building the church at 
Greenville. 

Jacob Voorhees. 

This would give $2,300 as the cash payment for build- 
ing the church. The last receipt is as follows: 

Received from Anthony L. Case one hundred and sev- 
enty-five dollars, in full for painting the meeting house 
in Greenville; also three dollars and fifty cents for put- 
ting the numbers on the seats, and painting around the 
drum, being in full of all claims and demands whatso- 
ever against said congregation, from the beginning of the 
world to the present time. 

Dec. 25th, 1839. Jacob Voorhees. 

Having a new church and all paid for should have 
made a merry Christmas for the fathers and mothers of 
that day. It is worthy of notice that the old church had 
stood for just one hundred years, having been erected, as 
we have shown, in 1739. 

Changing the location and building a new church was 
also an event of great importance in the early years of 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 195 

Mr. Hull's pastorate. Yet it does not appear that any 
notice was taken by him and the congregation of this 
contennial in the church's history. 

It was in this same year, 1839, that the Synod of New 
Jersey, October 16th, set off certain churches from the 
Presbytery of Newton, and directed these churches to 
meet, by their representatives, on the first Thursday in 
November at Flemington, and organize themselves into a 
separate Presbytery. This meeting took place accord- 
ingly, when the following pastors were present, viz: Jo- 
seph Campbell, Jacob Kirkpatrick, Peter O. Studiford, 
Holloway W. Hunt, Jr., James W. Almstead, James 
Scott, David Hull, Albert Williams, William Mc Jimp- 
sey and Joseph Wood. 

These clergymen were all connected with the Presby- 
tery of Newton, except Dr. Studdiford, who was a mem- 
ber of the Presbytery of New Brunswick. These min- 
isters, in connection with such elders as were present, 
whose names I do not have, except that of John Haga- 
man of this church, proceeded to organize themselves into 
a Presbytery, and assumed the name of Raritan. The Rev. 
Joseph Campbell, D. D., was chosen Moderator, and 
Rev. Albert Williams Clerk. The Rev. P. O. Studdi- 
ford was elected Stated Clerk, which office he held until 
his death in 1866. Dr. Studdiford was my preceptor for 
one year before entering college. He was a ripe scholar, 
an able preacher and a faithful Presbyter. He was, in 
fact, the leader in the Presbytery for many years, which 
position was accorded him willingly, and by a loving de- 
ference on the part of his brethren. But, though he held 



196 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

it in fact, he never assumed by any act or word on his 
part, an air of superiority. 

The Presbytery, at this first meeting, approved the 
recommendation of the General Assembly that the sev- 
eral churches should celebrate the semi-centennial of the 
assembly that same year. And this gives us the additional 
interesting fact that when the assembly had existed as 
an organization for fifty 7 years, our church had just taken 
down its church building in order to rebuild, after the 
church had stood for a hundred years. 

A meeting of Amwell First Congregation was called 
April 1 8th, 1840, to take into consideration a commu- 
nication from the Dutch Reformed Church at Clover 
Hill. In this communication the Clover Hill church 
made overture for a union between the two churches. 
That church, in the most friendly manner, expressed the 
conviction on their part that such a union would be in 
the interest of religion, and an advantage to each con- 
gregation. 

At the above meeting the Amwell First people fully 
reciprocated this friendly feeling and expressed the same 
conviction, providing there could be cordial agreement 
on the principles of such union. The congregation thus 
assembled, also stated the principles upon which they 
would be willing to form a union between the two 
churches, and appointed the following committee to con- 
vey their proceedings to the Clover Hill congregation, 
viz: George F. Wilson, Peter P. Young and John Hag- 
am an. 

John R. Young, Moderator, 
George P. Rex, Secretary. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 197 

A meeting was held at Greenville, May 28th, 1840, to 
hear the report of this committee. The report was read, 
and in substance was as follows, to wit: 

Whereas, The Reformed Dutch congregation at Clover 
Hill has resolved to assume the form and to place itself 
in connection with the old school Presbyterian Church 
in the United States of America, in accordance with its 
government, discipline and doctrine; and, 

Whereas, The said congregation did propose to form 
a permanent union with the First English Presbyterian 
congregation in Amwell, from the expressed conviction 
that the church so united would, under the blessing of 
God, the better promote the cause of religion, and be en- 
abled to give a pastor that support in their united ca- 
pacity, which separately they could not give without be- 
ing burdened; and, 

Whereas, The First English Presbyterian congregation 
in Amwell did, after due deliberation, consent to a union 
with said congregation of Clover Hill. The said con- 
gregation, by their respective committees undersigned, do 
unanimously agree to the following terms, to wit: 

First. That the Reformed Dutch congregation of Clo- 
ver Hill do assume the form and connection as above 
stated. 

Second. That the said congregations from this time 
henceforth become one congregation and component parts 
of the same, under the corporate name of the First Eng- 
lish Presbyterian Congregation in Amwell, and that the 
congregation of that distinctive appellation, after this 
agreement shall be consented to, shall forthwith appoint 
Trustees to conduct and manage the affairs of the corpora- 



ig8 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

tion, whose duty it shall be, as soon as practicable, to assess 
on the pews in both churches, or places of worship, such an 
amount as may be adequate to support the pastor. 

Third. That the ministerial services of the present, or 
any future pastor shall be equally divided between the 
two houses of worship situated at Greenville and at Clo- 
ver Hill, alternately without alteration every other Sab- 
bath forever. 

Fourth. That all lands, houses of worship, and other 
property now possessed by them respectively, shall be the 
common property of, and fully and inalienably vested 
in said corporation forever; providing nevertheless, and 
it is the true intent and meaning of this agreement that no 
alteration shall ever be made in the division of the minis- 
terial services as expresed in this agreement. 

Fifth. That this agreement shall be binding, permanent 
and conclusive in all and every part relating to said con- 
gregations when sanctioned by the whole congregation 
now being formed, and that it shall be signed by the re- 
spective committees, by which act they do become one 
congregation to all intents and purposes; and also to 
signify the consent and approbation so formed, to the 
terms of this agreement, that it be signed by the Trus- 
tees now to be appointed. 

Now, we the undersigned, the committee appointed by 
the congregation above mentioned, in pursuance of the 
instructions of and authority vested in us by our respec- 
tive congregations do agree to and confirm all and every 
part of this agreement. 

Witness our hands and seals this twenty-sixth day of 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 199 

May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- 
dred and forty. 

Peter C. Schenck, 
John W. Bellis, 
Committee of the Clover Hill Congregation. 
George F. Wilson, 
John Hagaman, 
Peter P. Young, 
Committee of the First English Congregation in Amwell. 

The committee also reported the following resolution, 
as a part of their agreement: 

Whereas, The foregoing agreement contains in itself 
no provision to authorize a dissolution of the union now 
formed, although the state of the congregation at some 
future time may urgently require a different organiza- 
tion ; therefore, 

Resolved, That if at any future time a majority of 
the congregation should be convinced that it would be 
beneficial to organize separately, and should decide ac- 
cordingly, then the property of whatever kind, held by 
either congregation previous to the union, should revert 
to the same, after the union has been dissolved. 

A motion was made and seconded that the report of the 
committee of the two congregations be accepted and 
adopted as the bond of union between said congregations, 
whereby they become one from henceforth. This motion 
was carried unanimously. 

It was then decided that the congregation, as formed, 
should proceed to choose Trustees, when the following 
persons were elected to that office, viz : Anthony L. Case, 



200 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Gideon Quick, Abraham V. Polhemus, Jacob W. Schenck, 
C. P. Brokaw, Henry Van Derveer, Jr., and Joseph 
Van Marter. 

George F. Wilson, 

Chairman. 
John Kee, 

Clerk. 

In connection with this account of the union formed 
between these churches in 1840, there is an additional fact 
that should be placed on record, viz: There is a paper 
in my possession, given my by Augustus Dilts, and found 
by him among some papers of his grandfather, Paul K. 
Dilts, which contains articles of agreement between these 
two churches, substantially the same as those here given, 
but expressed in better form. These articles were signed, 
sealed and delivered in the presence of Peter I. Clark, by 
the following committee, the thirty-first day of March, 
eighteen hundred and thirty-four: 

John Hagaman, 
Jonathan Conover, 
Hart Wilson, 
Committee on behalf of the Amwell Congregation. 
John R. Young, 
Abraham Polhemus, 
Committee on behalf of the Clover Hill Congregation. 

In the body of the articles the name of Abraham C. 
Schenck also appears as a member of the committee for 
Clover Hill, but his signature is not affixed to the ar- 
ticles at the close, as are the others. 

The one fact of interest for these former articles, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 201 

shows that the matter of a union between the two con- 
gregations had been under consideration for a long time 
before it was carried into effect. Why the action of the 
committee was not ratified by the two congregations 
does not appear from our records, although we have a 
minute on file dated as is this paper, and giving an ac- 
count of the proceedings up to the point of ratification. 

The Board of Trustees, as named above, met and 
elected Cornelius P. Brokaw as their President and 
Treasurer. In giving a statement of the funds of the 
church at this time it appears that those funds had al- 
most wholly disappeared. For what purpose, except as 
used in erection of the new church, does not appear. 
There was one note remaining of $700, of which only 
one hundred dollars seems to have been collected. 

At a meeting of the congregation, April 23rd, 1842, 
the following persons were chosen Trustees, viz: Jacob 
Voorhees, Gideon Quick, John Y. Bellis, Theodore 
Young, Cornelius P. Brokaw, Joseph C. Sutphin and 
Joseph Van Marter. 

Jacob Nevius, 

Chairman. 
A. L. Case, 

Secretary. 

These Trustees re-elected Cornelius P. Brokaw Pres- 
ident and Treasurer. 

A meeting of the congregation was held October 10th, 
1842, when it was decided to make an effort immediately 
to raise by subscription the amount due the pastor since 
May 1st. This shows us that even in that day of "the 



202 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

good old times," and two churches united, that there was 
a shortage in receipts to meet the current expenses of the 
congregation. But when we turn to the records of the 
session we shall find that this was at a period of spiritual 
poverty as well. From this lack of interest there was an 
empty treasury, and need of extra effort. 

At the same meeting it was decided to repair the 
cupola of the Clover Hill church. Also to sell a portion 
of the church lot at Clover Hill, east of the church, and 
apply the proceeds toward paying the debt on that church, 
for which three persons had given their joint obligation to 
Peter P. Quick, from whom the money had been bor- 
rowed. 

A more generous thing was done when the united 
congregation decided, at a meeting held April 17th, 1843, 
to instruct the Trustees to give obligation as Trustees, 
and thus assume the obligation of the debt arising from 
building the Clover Hill church, and for which up to 
this time Peter C. Schenck, John W. Bellis, Jacob Ne- 
vius and Henry Van Derveer had been personally respon- 
sible, and that the Trustees he also instructed to make 
an immediate effort to raise, by subscription, the balance 
due Mr. Quick. At the same meeting the Trustees were 
again directed to make an effort to raise, by subscription, 
the sum needed to pay the back salary. 

John D. Hagaman, 

Chairman. 

C. P. Brokaw, 

Secretary. 

And yet it was found necessary at the next annual 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 203 

meeting of the congregation held February 27th, 1844, to 
repeat their instructions and renew the effort to meet 
the demands to pay back salary and to discharge the debt 
due Mr. Quick. 

At this meeting the following- persons were elected 
Trustees of the church, viz: Jacob W. Nevius, Jacob 
Voorhees, Paul K. Dilts, William Waldron, John E. 
Holcombe, Gideon Quick and Joseph C. Sutphin. 

It remains to give a brief account of the religious life 
of the church under Mr. Hull, as shown by the records 
of the session. 

The first meeting of session, with Mr. Hull as Mod- 
erator, was held June 1st, 1837. 

George F. Wilson, 

Clerk. 

September 22nd, 1837, a communication was received 
from Rev. I. M. Candee, presenting a plan of organiza- 
ization for greater efficiency in the cause of benevolence. 
The Session took action on the same and organized the 
congregation for benevolent work. The following objects 
were to be presented to the members of the congregation, 
viz: The Assembly's Board of Home and Foreign Mis- 
sions and Education, and the Bible and Tract Societies. 
The elders were to act as collectors, each in his own dis- 
trict, and directed to make collections monthly, and to 
make payments quarterly to the above named objects. 

April 2 1st, 1838, Session appointed a standing prayer 
meeting to be observed on Thursday preceding each com- 
munion service. 

The Session met the 28th of May, 1849. Mr. Hull, 



20 4 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Moderator, being present, and Elders John Hagaman, 
John P. Quick, Peter P. Young and George F. Wilson. 
The following preamble and resolutions were unani- 
mously adopted, viz: 

Whereas, This congregation, and that of the Reformed 
Dutch Church of Clover Hill, have this day ratified a 
union of the two congregations, the latter assuming the 
form and government of the Presbyterian Church in the 
United States of America, and the corporate name by 
which we are designated and known, viz: the First Eng- 
lish Presbyterian Congregation of Amwell, thus forming 
one church and congregation; and, 

Whereas, By this act the ofEcers and private members 
of that church become officers and private members in 
this church; therefore, 

Resolved, That the names of Peter C. Schenck, Henry 
Van Derveer, Sr., and Jacob Nevius, elders in that 
church, be received as elders in this church, and their 
names be enrolled as members of the Session of the United 
Church. And that all the names of the private mem- 
bers of that church, as found on their records, be enrolled 
as members of this church. 

George F. Wilson, 

Clerk. 

July 29th, 1840, the Session recommended a collection 
to be taken up towards raising five thousand dollars, as 
requested by the General Assembly, in aid of the Theo- 
logical Seminary at Princeton, November 26th, 1840. The 
Session confirmed the nomination previously made, of the 
following persons as suitable to be elected to the office of 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 205 

deacon, and if no objections be made, that they be or- 
dained next Saturday, two weeks. The names of these 
persons are Peter P. Quick, Lewis Labaw, Arthur Sut- 
phin, Jonathan Conover, John Bellis, Cornelius Brokaw 
and Ralph Sutphin. 

At a meeting of the Session November 8th, 1843, the 
plan recommended by the Synod for the work of benefi- 
cence, was adopted, and is as follows. That a book be 
prepared with four columns, headed each with these ob- 
jects: Foreign Missions, Domestic Missions, Education 
and the Support of our Theological Professors, and that 
this book be carried through the congregation by the 
elders and deacons, acting in their several districts, in 
order to secure a contribution from each person in the 
congregation to these objects, and that this be done four 
times a year. The first quarter, beginning with January, 
be devoted to Foreign Missions; the second quarter, be- 
ginning with April, to Domestic Missions, and so on. 
And that these collectors should meet ever three months 
and report the amount collected. 

The congregation convened at the call of the Session, 
March 26th, 1844, when the pastor, Rev. David Hull 
made known his intention to ask Presbytery at its next 
meeting to dissolve the pastoral relation between himself 
and the Amwell First Church, and requested the con- 
gregation to appoint commissioners to express their con- 
currence. This was done, and the relation was dissolved 
by the Presbytery of Raritan, April 16th, 1844. 

The membership of the church when Mr. Hull began his 
ministry, was eighty-eight. The following persons were 



206 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

received into the membership of the Church during his 
pastorate : 

June ist, 1837, °n certificate, Miss Mary Ann Wil- 
son. 

June 2nd, 1837, on examination, Jane, a woman of 
color. 

November 25th, 1837, on examination, Harriet, a wo- 
man of color. 

June 2nd, 1838, Elder Tunis Quick, who had been 
suspended in 1833, on request, was restored, after the 
usual examination. 

September 6th, 1838, on examination, Dr. George P. 
Rex and Gertrude, his wife. Mrs. Rex being still with 
us. She is the member of longest standing in the church. 

September 6th, 1838, Mrs. Sarah Sutphin, an excom- 
municated member, was, on her own request, restored 
to church fellowship. 

May 28th, 1840. The following persons being mem- 
bers of the church at Clover Hill at the time of the 
union of the two congregations, were enrolled as mem- 
bers of this church, viz: Jacob Nevius and Hannah, his 
wife, Jacob Williamson and Martha, his wife, Henry 
Van Derveer and Charity, his wife, Peter C. Schenck and 
Catharine, his daughter, John W. Bellis, Zebulun Stout, 
and Letitia, his wife, Mrs. Anna Case, Mrs. Clorinda 
Case, Mrs. Theodosia Dilts, Mrs. Sarah Bellis, Mrs. 
Anna Nevius, Mrs. Aletta Kearney, Sampson M. Smith, 
John Wortman, Jacob Voorhees and Susan, his wife, 
Mrs. Sarah Dilts, Mrs. Ann Young, Mrs. Margaret 
Newal, Cornelius P. Brokaw and Catharine Susan, his 
wife, being twenty-six in all. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 207 

August 1st, 1840, on certificate, Ralph Sutphin and 
Catharine, his wife. 

December 10th, 1840, on examination, Miss Elizabeth 
Hagaman. 

June 5th, 1 84 1, on examination, Mrs. Elizabeth 
Young. 

June 5th, 1 84 1, on certificate, Mrs. Wilelmina Schenck. 

November nth, 1841, on examination, Mrs. Ann, wife 
of Peter D. Young, Mrs. Anna, wife of Theodore 
Young. 

April 14th, 1842, on examination, Mrs. Maria Louisa, 
wife of Peter C. Rea, and Mrs. Sarah, wife of Joseph 
D. Moon. 

July, 1842, on examination, Molly Rea, a girl of color. 

October 16th, 1842, on examination, Harriet Phillips 
and Gertrude Nevius. 

October 16th, 1842, on certificate, Mrs. Jane Hull, 
wife of the pastor from the Warior Run Church. 

February nth, 1843, on examination, Miss Nancy C. 
Schenck, Kuhl Dilts, Jacob W. Nevius and Mary D. 
Hudnut. 

March 9th, 1843, on examination, Mary Voorhees, 
Hannah Nevius, wife of George Nevius, Derrick Sut- 
phin and Elizabeth, his wife, Theodore J. Young, Mar- 
garet K. Wert, Jacob J. Schenck, Elnathan D. Van 
Kirk, Abraham Polhamus and Eleanor, his wife, Alice 
Ann W. Polhamus, Rachel C. Polhamus, Mary Young, 
Mrs. Mary Prall, wife of Jacob F. Prall, David J. Bellis, 
John L. Bellis, Susan F. Prall, William V. Waldron and 
Laura, his wife, and Mrs. Mary Sutphin. 

March 25th, 1843, on examination, Abraham P. Sut- 



208 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

phin and Sarah Ann, his wife, Ann Sharp, Sarah M. 
Dilts, Mary Sutphin, Elizabeth Wortman, Clara L. 
Quick, William Van Marter, Jacob Prall, Katharine 
Prall and George B. Smith, the latter being a member 
of the Protestant Episcopal Church. 

April 1st, 1843, on examination, Joseph Chamberlain 
Sutphin and Cornelia Ann, his wife, John Sharp, Mary 
Bellis, Margaret Deats, Katharine Higgins, Peter I. 
Nevius and Betty Wilson, a woman of color. 

July 1st, 1843, Caleb T. Prall and Hester, his wife. 

July 15, John J. Young and Mrs. Katherine Young, 
wife of Ketemes. 

October 26th, Misses Mary Case, Annee Labaw and 
Bella Labaw, and Rose Anna, a person of color. 

January 27th, 1844, Stephen L. Mershon was re- 
ceived on examination. Mr. Mershon was born in Lau- 
rel Co., Ky, March 4th, 1827. He graduated from the 
College of New Jersey in 1850, and was ordained to the 
gospel ministry by the Presbytery of Long Island, April, 
1854, an d was pastor of the Presbyterian Church at East 
Hampton, L. I., from 1854-66. He died at Napanock, 
New York, in 1874. 

April 27th, 1844, received on certificate from the Re- 
formed Church of North Branch, Mrs. Sarah Van Der- 
veer, wife of Jacob Van Derveer. This was the last 
meeting of Session, at which Rev. David Hull was pres- 
ent. The pastoral relation between himself and the Am- 
well First Church having been dissolved by the Pres- 
bytery of Raritan, April 16th, 1844. 

During the pastorate of Mr. Hull sixty-nine persons 
were received on examination, and six on certificate. This 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 209 

gives a larger average yearly than were received by Mr. 
Clarke, but it must be remembered that our statistics 
for Mr. Clarke only included Amwell First, while for 
Mr. Hull there was the added territory of this congre- 
gation and that of Clover Hill to draw from. In addi- 
tion to the number given, twenty-six were received, or 
rather transferred from Clover Hill at the time of the 
union of the two churches. When the Rev. David Hull 

came to the church the membership was 88 

Received by him on examination 69 

Received by him on certificate 06 

Transferred from Clover Hill . . 26 

189 

From these dismissed to other churches 16 

Leaving 173 

But there were some persons suspended from member- 
ship by discipline, and others removed by death, of which 
we do not have the record; nor do we have the report 
for 1844, Mr. Hull's last year. The report for 1843 
gives the membership as 168. This is doubtless too 
large, inasmuch as this occurs in all our churches, that in 
a short time names of persons will be found on the rec- 
ords who have moved away without taking their letter 
of dismission with them, or who otherwise disappear. 
But in the absence of a more accurate statement we ac- 
cept 168 as proximately correct. 

We have noticed the several efforts made of the Ses- 
sion to secure contributions for the work of beneficence 
by this united church, and while there was a better sys- 

14 



2io AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

tern, it does not appear that there was much advance in 
contributions. We give them for only the year of 1843, 
as in this particular the records are very deficient. For 
this year we find the contributions for beneficence as fol- 
lows: Domestic Missions, $9; Foreign Missions, $15; 
education, $10; miscellanious causes, $50; commission- 
ers and contingent fund each one dollar. 

Of Mr. Hull personally a brief statement should be 
added. The record given, bears evidence of his industry. 
A part of his pastorate he resided in his own house, which 
I understand was where Mrs. Stout Servis now resides. 

He is spoken of by members of this church with inter- 
est and evident appreciation. A brother, not in this 
church, has described him to me as "a spiritually minded 
man." 

David Hull was born near Milton, Pa., June 8th, 
1806. He graduated from Jefferson College in 1832. 
He studied theology at Princeton for a little more than 
two years. He was ordained as an evangelist by the Pres- 
bytery of Northumberland, January 15th, 1836. Hav- 
ing been invited by the Session of this church in March, 
1837, to visit the church and preach as a candidate, he 
came soon after and filled the pulpit for several Sab- 
baths. The congregation met April 14th and agreed to 
ask for his appointment as a stated supply. He was re- 
ceived by the Presbytery of Raritan, April 25th, 1837, 
from the Presbytery of Northumberland, and appointed 
supply for the next six months. 

He was pastor of the First English Presbyterian Church 
of Amwell from November 23rd, 1837, unt il April 16th, 
1844. He was stated supply at Nippenose, Pa., from 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 211 

'44-'45. He was stated supply at Pennsdale, Pa., in 
1846, and pastor until 1848; was pastor at Shamokin 
and Elysburg from 1848 to 1852; pastor at Lycemery 
Centre from 1855 to i860; stated supply again at Penns- 
dale from 1 86 1 to 1862; agent and missionary at Co- 
gan's Station from 1863 to 1867; stated supply at St. 
Mary's from 1868 to 1870; stated supply at Dewart 
from 1868 to 1872; resided at Williamsport in poor 
health for several years and died at Alexander, Arkansas, 
August 1 2th, 1886. Thus ends, after a varied experience 
and many labors, the life of one who was with you as pas- 
tor, teacher and comforter in time of great changes in 
the history of your church. 

THE NINTH PASTOR, REV. BENJAMIN CARRELL, 
l844— 1859. 

By the resignation of Rev. David Hull the church was 
once more without a pastor. The Session met at Green- 
ville, July 6th, 1844, and elected George F. Wilson 
Chairman. The elders present were John Hagaman, 
John P. Quick, Peter P. Young, Jacob Nevius, Peter C. 
Schenck and George F. Wilson. 

William Waldron was nominated by the unanimous 
vote of the Session for the office of deacon. Due notice 
of this nomination was given for two Sabbaths, and no 
objection to him being made the Session confirmed the 
nomination, and he was set apart and ordained to that 
office on the first day of July. 

The church having been vacant for six months the con- 
gregation was convened by the Session September 9th, 
1844, and was moderated by the Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick, 



212 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

D. D. The congregation proceeded to'yote.for a pas- 
tor, when the Rev. Benjamin Carrell prVthcf Presbytery 
of Huntingdon, Pa., and pastor of the churches of 
Waynesburg and Newton, was unanimously elected. 

Mr. Carrell being present signified his willingness to 
accept the call, which was made out for his pastoral ser- 
vices, with a salary of $500 per year, the same as was 
given to Mr. Hull. He was received by the Presbytery 
of Raritan which met at Greenville, November 26th, 
1844, and the call put into his hands and accepted by 
him. The Presbytery then proceeded to install Mr. Car- 
rell as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church and con- 
gregation of Amwell. In this service Rev. James M. 
Olmstead preached the sermon. The Rev. Samuel F. 
Porter presided and proposed the constitutional questions. 
The Rev. P. O. Studdiford, D. D., gave the charge to 
the pastor, and the Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick, D. D., the 
charge to the people. 

The Session held its first meeting with Mr. Carrell 
as Moderator, November 30th, 1844. A singular thing 
for a first meeting then occurred. A charge of unchris- 
tian conduct was laid against a member of the church. 
He was brought before the Session, acknowledged his 
offence, professed repentance, and promised to be more 
on his guard in the future. He was admonished by the 
Moderator, and thus the case was dropped. 

We now call attention to some matters of interest per- 
taining to the congregation, though it may here be re- 
marked that during Mr. Carrell's pastorate very little 
beyond regular routine business was transacted, either by 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 213 

the congregation or the Session. The Trustees elected 
in February, 1844, chose John E. Holcombe as President 
and Treasurer, which office he held continuously by re- 
election, of course, until 1856. 

The Trustees during this period, as far as the rec- 
ords show, were in 1847; three new ones elected, viz: 
Jacob Y. Quick, Zebulon Stout and Reading Smith; 
March 24th, 1851, the Board elected was John E. Hol- 
combe, Paul K. Dilts, Zebulon Stout, John Quick, Rob- 
ert R. Smith, N. Wilson Young and John L. Bellis; 
March 27th, 1852, the Board was John E. Holcombe, 
John Sharp, Zebulon Stout, John Quick, Robert R. 
Smith, David Y. Bellis and William Sheppard; March 
10th, 1853, we have John E. Holcombe, John Sharp, 
John Quick, John Y. Bellis, Jacob F. Prall, Ketenus 
Young and David Bellis; March 8th, 1855, the Trus- 
tees elected were John E. Holcombe, Jacob Van Derveer, 
Gideon Quick, John W. Phillips, P. Prall Quick, John 
Schenck and Derrick Sutphin; in 1856 we have as the 
Board, Ralph Sutphin, Gideon Quick, Jacob K. Van Der- 
veer, John W. Phillips, P. P. Quick, Dr. Simeon S. 
Dana and Derrick Sutphin. Of the meeting that chose 
this Board Peter C. Schenck was Chairman and John 
E. Holcombe Secretary. Peter P. Quick was elected 
President of the Board and Treasurer; March 18th, 1857, 
the Board chosen was Gideon Quick, Jacob K. Van Der- 
veer, Caleb F. Quick, James P. Chamberlin, Zebulon 
Stout, Derrick Sutphin and John Y. Bellis. Of this 
Board Jacob K. Van Derveer was made President and 
Treasurer; March 20th, 1858, the Trustees elected were 
Gideon Quick, Jacob K. Van Derveer, Zebulon Stout, 



2H AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Derrick Sutphin, John Y. Bellis, Jacob W. Nevius and 
William B. Prall; March 26th, 1859, the Board of the 
previous year was re-elected, with Mr. Van Derveer Pres- 
ident and Treasurer in both cases. 

Returning now to the records of the Session we gather 
the following facts 

February 15 th, 1845. The Session received into the 
membership of the church on certificate Edward L. and 
Rachel S. Reed, Mrs. Mary S. Carrell, wife of pastor, 
and Mrs. Rhoda Quick. 

May 31st. On certificate: Garret Schenck and Ann, 
his wife, Dr. George P. Rex and Gertrude, his wife, were 
received on certificate from the North Presbyterian 
Church of Philadelphia; on examination, Ketenus Young 
and Mrs. Ellen Jane Case, wife of John Case. 

September 17th, 1845. On certificate: Miss Maria 
Nevius, wife of Gilbert Van Camp, and Mrs. Catharine 
Schomp, wife of Jacob Nevius, Jr. 

January 10th, 1846. On examination: Mrs. Ann 
Schenck, wife of Peter C. Schenck, Mrs. Anna Maria 
Van Marter, wife of William Van Marter, and Mrs. 
Hannah Nevius, wife of Lanning Nevius, and Miss Sa- 
rah Hagaman. 

At this meeting the following action was taken: "The 
Session feels called upon, in the Providence of God, to 
record the death of Elder John P. Quick, who departed 
this life December 30th, 1845, in the 76th year of his 
age, and adds, he was a good man of humble piety. By 
his death the Session and the whole church have sustained 
a serious loss." 

April 9th, 1846. Received on examination: Jacob 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 215 

Q. Spadin, William Sheppard, Nelson Warner, Hannah 
Prall, Susan Stout, Rebecca Young, Mary Waldron, Leah 
Hoagland, John Y. Bellis, Elizabeth Ann Bellis, Thomas 
Wilson, Susanah Wilson, Josiah Young and Mary 
Young. Six of these had not been baptized. 

April nth, 1846. John Phillips, Martha M. Phillips, 
Nathaniel Wilson Young, John Van Ess, Jacob 
F. Quick, Christianna Quick, John Quick, Fran- 
ces Quick, Albertus Bird, Lucretia Bird, Sarah 
Ann Bird, Catharine Griggs, Ellen Schenck, Theo- 
dosia Schenck, Mary Nevius, Catharine Holcombe, Sarah 
Catharine Norman and Elizabeth Myers. Thirteen of 
these were admitted to both sacraments. Also the fol- 
lowing persons of color, viz : James Williamson, Charles 
Wilson, Catharine Hagaman and Catharine William- 
son. 

September 19th, 1846. Miss Hannah Bowman, and 
on certificate, Mrs. Jane Sheppard, wife of William Shep- 
pard, and Mrs. Eleanor Knouse. 

April, 1847. On examination: Isaac Young and 
Sarah Kinney, wife of Hankinson Kinney. 

August 29th, 1847. On certificate from the Baptist 
Church in Ovid, N. Y. : Mr. Waterman Thomas. Al- 
so on certificate: Mrs. Maria Johnson and Mrs. Ann 
Quick, wife of Abraham Quick. 

April 8th, 1848. On examination: John Brown and 
Mrs. Sarah Jane Wyckoff, wife of John Wyckoff; on 
certificate: Mrs. Ann Brewster. 

August 19th, 1849. On certificate: Miss Elizabeth 
Young. 

November 19th, 1849. On examination: Mrs. Cath- 



216 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

arine D. Stryker, wife of Alexander Stryker, and Miss 
Elizabeth Little. 

April 14th, 1849. Mrs. Elizabeth Young, wife of 
Ketenus Young; on certificate: Garret Schenck and 
Ann, his wife, and their daughters, Ellen and Theodosia; 
also Mrs. Maria Lanning, Mrs. Peter Case and Dinah, 
a woman of color. 

August nth, 1849. On certificate: Obadiah Howell 
Hayard. 

April 3rd, 1852. On examination: Abram Young 
and Clarinda, his wife, Mary Wood, Harriet Atkinson, 
Mary West, Anna Higgins, Sarah D. Young, Sarah 
Holcombe and Mary Graff, and on certificate, Mrs. Eliz- 
abeth Chamberlin, wife of Prall Chamberlin. 

September 25th, 1852. On examination: Miss Le- 
titia Wilson. 

October 29th, 1852. Elder George F. Wilson who had 
served the church as elder since 1831, and Clerk of the 
Session since 1836, requested for himself and his wife, a 
letter of dismission to the Amwell United First Church. 

March 21st, 1853. The Session decided, after fre- 
quent deliberation, to call a meeting of the church at 
Reaville, April 14th, 1853, in order, if the way be clear, 
to elect additional persons to the eldership of the church. 
In this minute we have the first mention in our records 
of the name Reaville. The previous minutes for many 
years had been headed Greenville, and before that simply 
Amwell. 

On account of severe storm April 14th, the meeting 
appointed adjourned without further action to the 30th 
of April for the election of elders. But the Session met 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 217 

April 1 6th, when Andrew Alpaugh and Mrs. Julia Dana 
were received on certificate. 

The church met April 30th at the call of the Ses- 
sion and elected the following persons to the office of 
Ruling Elder, viz: John E. Holcombe, William Wal- 
dron and Ralph Sutphin. These persons were set apart 
and ordained to this sacred office May 29th, 1853. 

September 24th, 1853. Received on certificate: Jo- 
seph C. Huff and Margaret Ann, his wife. 

Peter C. Schenck, 

Clerk. 

May 13th, 1854. On examination: Jacob K. Van 
Derveer, Peter Case, Clarinda Labaw and Sarah Labaw. 

October 20th, 1854. Miss Ellen Young, daughter of 
Josiah Young. 

April 14th, 1855. Horace Nelson, and on certificate, 
Cornelius Wyckoff and Sarah V., his wife. 

The Session at this date records the death of John 
W. Bellis, one of the deacons of this church, who de- 
parted this life in March, 1855, in the 73rd year of his 
age, in whose death the church has sustained a serious 
loss. 

September, 1855. On examination: Martha Ellen 
Nevius, wife of Christian Nevius. 

February 17th, 1856. Elder John Hagaman, who had 
served the church as elder since 1822, requested a certifi- 
cate of dismission, as he was about to remove to the State 
of Illinois. 

June 6th, 1857. Received on certificate: Mrs. Mary 
Hudnut and Mrs. Alpaugh. ... 



218 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

April 20th, 1858. On certificate: Mr. John Soms 
and wife. 

The Session "records the death of Jacob Nevius, Sr., 
one of the elders of this church, who departed this life 
(day not given) in 1857, at the advanced age of 86. He 
died, calmly trusting in his Redeemer." 

October 10th, 1858. Received on examination: Mrs. 
Sarah Parker, wife of William Parker. 

January 28th, 1859. On examination: Jacob S. 
Prall and Rebecca, his wife, James P. Foote and Miss 
Hannah Soms, and on certificate, Miss Lewis Chamber- 
lin, Mrs. Elizabeth Stout and Mrs. Elizabeth C. Dun- 
gan. 

April 3rd, 1859. The pastor announced to the Ses- 
sion his intention to apply to Presbytery on the 12th of 
April, to dissolve the pastoral relation between himself 
and the Church, and requested the Session to call a meet- 
ing of the congregation to hear his statement and appoint 
commissoiners. The Session met the afternoon of the 
same day at Reaville and took the following action, viz: 

"The Session is called upon in the Providence of God to 
record the death of Elder John E. Holcombe, who de- 
parted this life on the 17th day of February, 1859, in 
the 51st year of his age. The deceased was eminently a 
good man. As a leader of song in the church, as Super- 
intendent of the Sabbath School, as a regular attendant 
on the prayer meetings, as a useful member of the church 
and society where his example was always on the side 
of virtue and religion, he will be greatly missed." 

Well might they exclaim at the death of such a man, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 219 

"Help, Lord, for the Godly man ceaseth, for the faithful 
fail from the children of men." 

"The Session also records with gratitude the fact that 
the contributions to missionary purposes have, for the last 
two years, doubled those of former years, and we believe 
this is owing to the faithfulness and increased energy with 
which the pastor has urged the duty of beneficence upon 
all the professed followers of Christ." 

I am sure any pastor would prefer a testimony of the 
faithfulness to duty like that to the formal resolutions of 
compliment and regret, which are often passed by congre- 
gations under similar circumstances. 

The congregation assembled at Reaville on the 5 th of 
April, 1859, at the call of the Session; heard the pas- 
tor's statement of his purpose to tender his resignation, 
and requested the appointment of commissioners to join 
him in the request to Presbytery in this matter. Peter 
P. Young and William Waldron were appointed as com- 
missioners to Presbytery. The Presbytery of Raritan on 
hearing the request of the pastor and commissioners, did 
on the 1 2th day of April, 1859, at Frenchtown, dissolve 
the pastoral relation existing between the Rev. Benjamin 
Carrell and the First English Presbyterian Church of 
Amwell. 

As we have gathered from the records of Session, there 
were received into the membership of the church during 
Mr. Carrell's pastorate, extending from 1844 to 1859: 

On examination 70 

On certificate 38 

Making a total of 108 



aao AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

There was on the roll when Mr. Carrell came. ... 168 



Making 276 

Dismissed to other churches 29 

Leaving as the actual roll 247 

The church reported to Presbytery, however, only. 150 

To account for the difference, several were removed by 
discipline, there being eleven cases of discipline during 
this pastoral; many others were removed by death, but 
not recorded. To these is to be added that from year 
to year members move away without taking their letters, 
and so lose their membership. This doubtless occurred 
here. 

The church reported for 1850 a total membership of 
180. In 1853, 168, in 1855 160, and in 1856 and 1857, 
each 150. Other statistics are as follows 

In 1853 Domestic Missions $17, Foreign Missions $18, 
education $28, and congregational expenses $2,000. 

In 1856 Domestic Missions $28, Foreign Missions $30, 
education $30, congregational $550. 

In 1857 Domestic Missions $24, Foreign Mission $24, 
education $20, congregational $700. 

In 1858 Domestic Missions $50, Foreign Missions $40, 
congregational $650. 

During these years the miscellaneous contributions, 
which included gifts to the Hunterdon County Bible So- 
ciety, and other undenominational work, were $70, $100, 
$50 and $40. 

It is worthy of remark that the mention of Elder Hoi- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 221 

combe as Superintendent of the Sabbath School is the 
first time the word "Sabbath School" is found on the rec- 
ords of the church. The report to Presbytery, however, 
state the number of the children, which implies the ex- 
istence of the Sabbath School. In 1857 tne number was 
120, and in 1858, 125. 

Benjamin Carrell was born at Tinicum, Bucks County, 
Pa., January 16th, 18 10. He began his studies in prep- 
aration for college with the Rev. P. O. Studdiford, D. 
D., at Lambertville, N. J. He entered Union College in 
1832, graduated in 1834, entered Princeton Theological 
Seminary in the fall of 1834, graduated in 1837. He 
was licensed to preach the gospel by the Second Presby- 
tery of Philadelphia in April, 1837; was transferred to 
the Presbytery of Huntingdon and installed pastor of 
Waynesburg and Newton Hamilton, October, 1838. Dur- 
ing his pastorate of these churches, there was a most 
precious revival of religion, as a result of which 120 per- 
sons united with the churches, and this gracious work con- 
tinued until the church at Newton Hamilton was filled to 
overflowing. He was installed pastor of Amwell First 
Church, November, 1844, and resigned April, 1859. 
Health failing he removed to Lambertville. In 1864 he 
became stated supply of Rosemont and Stockton, in which 
he remained until 1870; was stated supply at Plumstead- 
ville, Pa., from '70 to '72; pastor of Kingwood, N. J., 
from 1873 to 1877. In infirm health he removed again 
to Lambertville, where he died August 26th, 1881. It 
was my privilege to be acquainted with Mr. Carrell. He 
was a godly man. Sound in the faith, and devoted to 
the Master's cause. His voice was loud, but metalic 



222 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

rather than melodious, and his manner almost oppres- 
sively solemn. Here again in our walk about Zion we 
have seen another of the workmen, now laboring in the 
vineyard, and now going home to rest, after abundant 
labors and a large ingathering. 

THE TENTH PASTOR, REV. GEORGE P. VAN WYCK, 
i860— 1862. 

Once more the Church was without a pastor and, as 
usual, the pulpit was filled by supplies who were members 
of the Presbytery. This state of things continued from 
April to the end of the year. During this period two or 
three candidates were heard. One of these was Rev. 
George P. Van Wyck. He was chosen as the next pas- 
tor. A special meeting of the Presbytery of Raritan was 
held at Lambertville, N. J., January 17th, i860, when 
the Rev. George P. Van Wyck was received as a mem- 
ber of Presbytery from the Presbytery of Carlisle, and 
the call of the Amwell First Church was placed in his 
hands by the Presbytery. The call being accepted, ar- 
rangements were made for his installation at Reaville, 
Tuesday, January 31st, i860. 

This service took place, as thus appointed. At this 
service the Rev. Edwin Town preached the sermon from 
II. Cor. 4:1, 2. The Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick presided, 
proposed the constitutional questions, and delivered the 
charge to the pastor, and the Rev. John L. Janeway the 
charge to the people. On the 27th of March ensuing, the 
annual meeting of the congregation was held. Of this 
meeting Peter C. Schenck was Chairman, and Jacob S. 
Prall Secretary. The Trustees chosen at this meeting 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 223 

» 
were John Quick, John L. Case, Zebulon Stout, William 
Sutphin, John H. Phillips, Jacob W. Nevius and Wil- 
liam B. Prall. John L. Case was chosen President and 
Treasurer. 

We have noticed the large number received into the 
membership of the Church during the pastorate of Mr. 
Carrell. But when the Session came to gather up the 
statistics of the Church for the year and report to Pres- 
bytery in April, only two months after Mr. Van Wyck's 
installation, the report shows there had been a very large 
falling away from the membership of the Church. 

In 1859 the Church reported 150 members, and now, 
in i860, it reports only 106, with 100 children in the 
Sabbath School. Very few of the collections had been 
taken during the year in which there was no pastor. 

At the first meeting of Session under Mr. Van Wyck, 
held P>bruary nth, it was decided to observe the Sacra- 
ment of the Lord's Supper three times in the year, and 
secondly, "that on those Sabbaths on which the pastor 
might be absent for recreation, personal business or church 
duties," the Session would furnish supplies for the pul- 
pit. 

The Session received into Church membership March 
10th, i860, on certificate Mr. Edwin Bartow and Mary, 
his wife, and Mr. Nathan Solomon. 

September 21st, i860. Session received, on examina- 
tion, Christopher J. Dillon and Catharine, his wife, Miss 
Catharine Sutphin, Thomas Hall and Jacob Hall, his 
brother, and on certificate, Mrs. William Bellis, and on 
the 22nd, Mrs. Jane Y. White, widow. 



224 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

February 6th, 1861. Session received, on examination, 
Miss Elizabeth Young. 

The Church reported in April, 112 members; 120 in 
Sabbath School; congregational expenses, $835; contri- 
butions to Domestic Missions, $25, to Foreign Missions, 
$26, and miscellaneous, $65. 

March 28th, 1862. Received on certificate: William 
S. Higgins and Ellen M. Wolverton. 

Peter C. Schenck, 

Clerk. 

September nth, 1862. Session convened at the pas- 
tor's study, Clover Hill. The pastor stated that in con- 
sequence of long continued sickness during the Summer 
he felt unfitted to perform the duties of his office. The 
Session thereupon resolved to request supplies from the 
Presbytery that the pastor might obtain rest and resto- 
ration to health. 

October 13 th. The pastor informed the Session that 
as there had been no improvement in his health during his 
vacation, that after prayerful consideration of the mat- 
ter, he thought best not to ask Presbytery for supplies, 
but to dissolve the pastoral relation, and requested Ses- 
sion to call a congregational meeting at Clover Hill at an 
early day, and take action on this matter. 

The congregation was called to meet accordingly Oc- 
tober 20th, 1862. The pastor laid before the meeting 
a communication in which he expressed the strongest at- 
tachment to the congregation and the delight he had ex- 
perienced in his labors among them, but that he felt con- 
strained because of his impaired health to ask the Church 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 225 

to unite with him in a request to Presbytery to dissolve 
the pastoral relation existing between them. The con- 
gregation replied by expressing very warm affection for 
the pastor, and regret for the necessity which leads the 
pastor to seek to be released from the pastorate of this 
Church. But in view of the facts the congregation agreed 
to concur in this request, and Messrs. John Quick and 
Ralph Sutphin were appointed commissioners to lay this 
action before Presbytery. 

Pursuant to this action the Presbytery of Raritan, dur- 
ing the intervals of Synod at Rahway, did, on the 22nd 
of October, 1862, dissolve the pastoral relation existing 
between George P. Van Wyck and the First English 
Presbyterian Church in Amwell. 

The Rev. George P. Van Wyck was born at Bloom- 
ingburg, Sullivan County, New York, June 24th, 182 1. 
He was prepared for college at the academy in his na- 
tive town. He graduated at Rutgers College in 1840, 
and from the Theological Seminary of the same place in 
1843. He was pastor at Port Jervis for nine years. 
Health failing he went South, settled in Berlin, Md., 
where he was pastor of the Presbyterian Church for two 
years. His next field of labor was Gettysburg, Pa., where 
he was pastor of the Presbyterian Church. 

He was received by the Presbytery of Raritan, January 
17th, i860, and installed pastor of Amwell First Pres- 
byterian Church January 31st, i860. The pastoral re- 
lation was dissolved October 20th, 1862. 

After leaving Amwell he entered the army as chaplain 
in the 10th Legion, or 56th, N. Y. Regiment, and con- 
tinued in the service until October, 1865. He was after- 
15 



226 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

ward called to take charge of the Church in Jamestown, 
N. Y., but declined. He accepted an appointment as 
chaplain in the Regular Army in 1867, and continued in 
the same until retired. As a retired officer of the Army- 
he now resides at Washington, D. C. I had the pleas- 
ure of meeting Mr. Van Wyck, his wife and son, then a 
young man, at Milford, Pa., during our vacation in 1896. 
He was then in poor health, but upon learning of my 
residence he was very courteous towards us, and mani- 
fested very great interest in the people of Amwell among 
whom he had labored in the years gone by. 

While the Church was yet vacant the Session met Oc- 
tober 25th, 1862, and received, on examination, George 
Young. 

At a meeting of the First English Presbyterian con- 
gregation of Amwell, held December 18th, 1862, it was 
agreed to dissolve the union that had existed since 1840 be- 
tween what had been the Reformed Church at Clover Hill, 
and the Amwell First Church. Of this meeting our rec- 
ords are not very complete. But, as we learn from the 
minutes of the Presbytery of Raritan, a meeting of that 
Presbytery wa sheld at Reaville, at the call of the Mod- 
erator, duly made, on the second Tuesday of January, 
1863, at n o'clock. The object of this meeting, as 
stated in the call, was to receive and act on the applica- 
tion of certain members in full communion of the First 
Presbyterian Church of Amwell, praying that they, with 
ruling elders, Peter C. Schenck and Ralph Sutphin, be set 
off and constituted a distinct Church, to be called the 
Presbyterian Church of Clover Hill. The chair was 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 227 

taken at this meeting of Presbytery by the Moderator, 
the Rev. Joseph Rogers, of Frenchtown, and constituted 
with prayer. The Moderator stated the object of the 
meeting as set forth in the call. A petition, signed by 
thirty-four (34) members in full communion of the First 
Presbyterian Church of Amwell, praying the Presbytery 
to constitute them into a distinct Church as above des- 
cribed, was then presented. 

Satisfying evidence was given to Presbytery that at the 
meeting of the First English Congregation of Amwell, 
held December 18th, 1862, it was voted unanimously to 
acquiesce in this application for division so as to secure 
the stated services of a pastor in each house of worship, 
whereupon the Presbytery resolved that the prayer of the 
petitioners be granted, and that they are herby constituted 
a separate Church to be called the Presbyterian Church 
of Clover Hill, and that Ruling Elders Peter C. Schenck 
and Ralph Sutphin be transferred to said Church at its 
Session. 

Resolved, Secondly, That the name of the Church of 
Clover Hill be added to the roll of Presbytery. That this 
Church thus constituted return almost immediately to the 
Reformed Classis of Philadelphia, is what it had a right 
to do, and what was expected. 

Thus is brought to a close a union that had been formed 
with the best of motives, and which, while it lasted, was 
harmonious and mutually beneficial. And now that we 
are separated, there is, and has been, so far as I know, 
only the best and kindest Christian feeling toward each 
other. So may it ever be! 



228 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

THE ELEVENTH PASTOR, REV. JOSHUA B. H. JANEWAY, 
1863— 1864. 

The union of the congregations of Clover Hill and 
Reaville having been dissolved in January, 1863, the Am- 
well First Church was for the third time alone in the 
support of a pastor and for its appointed work. 

The Presbytery of Raritan met April 14th, 1863, at 
the United First Church of Amwell, and was opened with 
a sermon by the Rev. William R. Glen. In the absence 
of the Moderator the chair was taken by the Rev. Ben- 
jamin Carrell. William Waldron was the elder present 
from Amwell First. 

At this meeting Mr. Joshua H. Janeway, a licentiate 
of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, presented a certfi- 
cate of dismission from that Presbytery, and was received 
and taken under the care of the Presbytery of Raritan as 
a licentiate for the gospel ministry. Mr. William Wal- 
dron and Mr. Gideon Quick being present as commis- 
sioners from Amwell First Church, presented a call for 
the pastoral services of Mr. Janeway. The salary prom- 
ised Mr. Janeway was five hundred dollars per annum. 
The call was found in order and placed in Mr. Janeway's 
hands. He signified his willingness to accept the same. 

The Presbytery then proceeded to his examination with 
a view to his ordination. His examination being sustained 
Presbytery made arrangemnts for his ordination, and for 
his installation as pastor of Amwell First Church, to take 
place May 7th, 1863. 

On the day appointed for this service, Presbytery met 
at Reaville. The Moderator being absent the chair was 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 229 

taken by the Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick, D. D. The elder 
present from Amwell First was Peter P. Young. Pres- 
bytery then proceeded to ordain Mr. Janeway and in- 
stall him pastor of the Amwell First Church. In this 
service the Rev. Thomas L. Janeway, D. D., father of 
the candidate, for installation, preached the sermon. Dr. 
Kirkpatrick presided and proposed the constitutional ques- 
tions. The Rev. James Lewers gave the charge to the 
pastor, and the Rev. John Burrows the charge to the 
people. The elders of the Church when Mr. Janeway 
began his labors, were William Waldron and Peter P. 
Young. The Trustees were John Quick, Zebulon Stout, 
John H. Phillips, John H. Williamson, William B. 
Prall, William Sutphin and Jacob S. Prall. Of the con- 
gregational meeting held March 21st, 1863, electing these 
officers: Peter P. Young was Chairman, and Jacob S. 
Prall, Secretary. Jacob S. Prall was also elected Presi- 
dent and Treasurer of the Board. 

At the congregational meeting held March, 1864, Mr. 
Anthony L. Case was chosen Chairman and Dr. Prall 
Secretary. The Trustees elected were the same as in 
1863, excepting that Caleb F. Quick and James P. Cham- 
berlin were chosen in place of Dr. Jacob S. Prall and 
William B. Prall. 

Caleb F. Quick was elected President and Treasurer 
of the Board, to which office he was annually re-elected 
until 1875. 

Turning to the membership of the Church at this time 
we find that Rev. Mr. Van Wyck had reported to Pres- 
bytery, in April, 1862, only one hundred and twenty-two 
members in the United Church. This is given in the 



230 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

minutes of the General Assembly, and shows a most mar- 
vellous disappearance of members as received and reported 
by Mr. Carrell. Their dismissal, either by letter or 
discipline, is not recorded, except in a few cases. Hence 
a large number of members recently received must have 
been dropped in order to purge the roll of unfaithful or 
non-attending members. This forces on us the conclu- 
sion that the revival of previous years had been followed 
with a painful reaction, resulting in a low state of piety. 

In keeping with this the Assembly's minutes show that 
during the year ending April, 1862, only thirty dollars 
were contributed to the Boards of the Church by Am- 
well First, and fifty dollars to miscellaneous causes, pre- 
sumably to the American Bible Society. 

When the union between Clover Hill and Amwell 
First was dissolved, thirty-four members were dismissed 
to the reorganized Church of Clover Hill, leaving for this 
Church eighty-eight. 

In April, 1863, and previous to Mr. Janeway's instal- 
lation, this Church reports one hundred and twenty mem- 
bers, which is a larger number than the thirteen, whose 
names are recorded on our minutes, as received, will make. 

This was a year, during which the Church was largely 
without a pastor. The contributions of the Church to 
benevolence for the year was only seven dollars, which 
was given to the Fund for Disabled Ministers. 

These two years w^ere at the time when prices of 
produce were high and money was plenty, and yet the 
beneficence of the Church fell to its lowest ebb. Our rec- 
ords do not show what service Mr. Janeway rendered the 
Church before he formally accepted the call, April 14th, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 231 

1863, but they show that as pastor-elect he moderated 
the meeting of Session, April 4th, when twelve of the 
thirteen members referred to above were received on ex- 
amination. The names of these twelve persons are Mrs. 
Ellen Rea, Martin J. Bellis, Mrs. Martha R. Holcombe, 
Mrs. Ann Sutphin, Mrs. Mary E. Schenck, Mrs. Mary 
Conover, Mrs. Sarah Ann Hall, Mrs. Sarah Conover, 
Mrs. Mary M. Williamson, Lewis Sutphin, Joseph C. 
Harrison and Levi Holcombe. 

From April 14th, 1863, when reports were presented 
to Presbytery to April, 1864, the following persons were 
received into the membership of the Church. 

July nth. On examination: Mrs. Van Horn, Mrs. 
Eliza Young, Miss Sallie A. Quick, Mrs. Jenny Quick, 
Joseph Brown, Joseph Titus, Mrs. Rachel Foot, Mrs. 
Henrietta Priestly, Mrs. Caroline Williamson, Mrs. Mary 
Wilson, Miss Delilah Martindale, Miss Rebecca Voor- 
hees, Miss Isabella Wood, Miss Cornelia Cortelyou, Mrs. 
Madelin Brown, Miss Farnces Drake. On certificate: 
Thomas Reeder Snook, and Sarah E., his wife, and Mr. 
Abraham S. Stone and Mrs. Lydia A. Stone. 

November 14th. Received on examination: Oliver 
Phillips, Miss Anna Augusta Cortelyou, Mrs. Elizabeth 
Smith, Jonathan B. Higgins, Mrs. Mariah Higgins. Re- 
ceived on certificate: John H. Johnson, Mrs. Mary 
Johnson, his wife, and Miss Sarah Johnson. 

February 27th, 1864. Received on examination: Mrs. 
Ann Higgins and Miss Mariah V. Higgins. And on cer- 
tificate, Levi C. Littell. 

March 5th. Received on examination: Miss Mar- 



232 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

garet Young, Jacob Dilts, Mrs. Jane Ann Dilts, Miss 
Mary Ann Dilts. 

March 12th. Received on examination: Mrs. Re- 
becca Stout, Mrs. Matilda Robins, Mrs. Mary Brown, 
Mrs. Mary Chamberlain, Mrs. Eleanor LaRue, Mrs. 
Jamima Johnson, Miss Debora LaRue, Miss Mary Jane 
Voorhees, Miss Georgiana Haight. And on certificate: 
Robert W. Hunt and Mrs. Ellen S. Hunt, Gideon Stout 
and Mrs. Eliza Stout. 

March 20th. Received on certificate: John Wyckoff 
and Mary, his wife, and Mrs. Mary Ball, their daughter. 

July the 9th. Received on examination: Mrs. Sarah 
Mariah Todd, Mrs. Louisa Waldron, Mrs. Anna E. 
Hudnut and Miss Rebecca E. Mattison. This is the last 
minute in our records entered by Mr. Janeway. The pas- 
torate of Mr. Janeway, which began so auspicously and 
continued up to this time so full of blessing to the 
Church, terminated in sorrow. 

During this summer Mrs. Janeway sickened and died. 
Under this bereavemnt Mr. Janeway felt that he could 
not remain and continue his labors alone, where he had 
enjoyed the help and companionship of his endeared wife. 
He tendered his resignation and his action being laid be- 
fore Presbytery, the pastoral relation between himself and 
this Church was dissolved September 6th, 1864. During 
this brief pastorate fifty-two persons were received into 
the Church on examination and fifteen on certificate. 

It is pleasant also to add to these unusually large ad- 
ditions to the membership of the Church, a very decided 
advance in the benevolent contributions of the Church, 
yet the figures show that the Church after doing almost 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 233 

nothing for some years, could not be brought up, at once, 
to a fair standard of its duty. Total membership re- 
ported was 133; membership of Sabbath School, 120; 
total benevolent contributions for the year, $96. 

I have gone over these records of Mr. Janeway's pas- 
torate here with especial interest, because he and I were 
friends and classmates at Princeton College, graduating 
in 1857. We were also in the Seminary together, though 
not in the same class, as he did not enter the Seminary 
until one year after leaving college. He came of a min- 
isterial family, his father and grandfather, both being 
clergymen, and both men of prominence in their day. 
Mr. Janeway seems to have inherited gifts which fitted 
him for the ministry, and his connection with this Church 
shows how well he applied himself to the work in hand. 
His genial manner, his faithful work and his deep afflic- 
tion all combined to endear his memory to this Church. 
A brief record of his career will be heard, I am sure, with 
interest to this Church. 

Mr. Janeway was born at Rahway, N. J., in 1837. 
He graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1857. 
He received the title of Ph.D. from Princeton in i860, 
and graduated from the Seminary in 186 1. He was or- 
dained by the Presbytery of Raritan, May 7th, 1863, and 
on the same day installed pastor of Amwell First Church. 
The pastoral relation was dissolved September 6th, 1864. 
After leaving Reaville he went under appointment of the 
Christian Commission to the Army of the Potomac, and 
later, he entered the service of the arm yas chaplain of the 
85th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

When he left the service his health was greatly im- 



234 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

paired by a severe attack of malarial fever. Recovering 
his health in some measure, he accepted a call, condi- 
tionally, to the Presbyterian Church of Chambersburg, 
Pa., which he served as pastor-elect for about a year. 
When he returned the call because his health did not al- 
low him to continue in the work. In 1868 he received 
a call to the Second Church of Cranberry, N. J., but the 
state of his health again required him to tender his resig- 
nation within a year. 

In 1875 he became the Secretary and Actuary of the 
Presbyterian Annuity and Life Insurance Company at 
Philadelphia. Leaving Philadelphia in 1880 he went to 
Colorado in another business capacity, while at the same 
time seeking the restoration of his heatlh. He resided 
at Denver, Col., at Emporia, Kansas, and San Diego, 
California, for several years. 

In 1889 he Was teaching in New York City. Since 
that time he has studied medicine rather to gratify a taste 
than to change his profession, nevertheless he still resides 
in New York and is practicing medicine as opportunity 
presents. 

It is evident from the facts stated that Mr. Janeway's 
most important ministerial work was done in the short 
time that he was pastor of this Church. 

THE TWELFTH PASTOR, REV. N. L. UPHAM, 
1865— l87l. 

The Rev. Nathan L. Upham, who married Miss An- 
nie Howell Janeway, sister of Rev. Joshua H. Janeway, 
was the next pastor of this Church. Mr. Upham was 
installed pastor of this Church the second Tuesday of 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 235 

June, 1865. He began his labors, however, much earlier, 
as we find him moderating a meeting of Session, March 
12th, 1865, when Mr. Levi C. Littell was granted a let- 
ter of dismission. In the call given to Mr. Upham, the 
congregation engaged to pay him seven hundred and 
fifty dollars, payable in two equal payments. 

The elders of the Church at the time of Mr. Upham's 
call were Peter P. Young and William V. Waldron, the 
same as served the Church while Mr. Janeway was pas- 
tor. 

The congregational meeting held March, 1865, with 
Mr. Zebulon Stout as Chairman, and Mr. C. F. Quick 
Secretary, elected as Trustees John Quick, Zebulon Stout, 
John H. Phillips, John H. Williamson, James P. Cham- 
berlin, William Sutphin and Caleb F. Quick. These 
Trustees were re-elected in 1866 and in 1867. 

In 1866 Mr. A. L. Case was Chairman of the con- 
gregational meeting, and in 1867 Mr. Gideon Quick was 
chosen to that office. 

In 1868 Mr. John H. Williamson was made Chairman 
of the congregational meeting, and the Trustees elected 
were John H. Williamson, Asher Higgins, John Y. 
Bellis, Abraham J. Prall, William Sutphin, John Quick 
and Caleb F. Quick. 

March, 1869, Mr. Anthony L. Case was chosen to 
preside over the congregational meeting. The following 
persons were elected Trustees, viz: Robert R. Smith, 
Asher Higgins, John Y. Bellis, Abraham J. Prall, Lewis 
Sutphin, John Quick and Caleb F. Quick. 

The same Board was chosen in 1870, excepting the 
election of Jacob F. Quick in place of John Quick. 



236 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

In 187 1, John Y. Bellis was chosen to preside over the 
congregational meeting. The Trustees elected were John 
Y. Bellis, Wiliam B. Prall, Lewis Sutphin, Lewis C. 
Case, Robert R. Smith, John T. Hudnet, and Caleb F. 
Quick. 

Mr. Upham's pastorate began under the most favora- 
ble financial conditions the church had ever known, and 
these continued until its close. Many changes and im- 
provements took place during this period. Some of which 
were of lasting benefit to the Church. 

Steps were taken to enlarge the eldership as early as 
September 18th. October 7th due notice having been 
given, John H. Johnson, Jacob S. Prall and Jacob Voor- 
hees were elected to the office of Ruling Elder, and Oc- 
tober 22nd was appointed for their ordination and instal- 
lation, which appointment was carried out. 

Monday, January 1st, 1866. The Session met and dis- 
tricted the congregation, assigning a part to each elder, 
and agreed to make a general visitation from house to 
house for religious conversation and prayer. 

May 5th. The Session met to take action on the death 
of Elder William Waldron, which occurred April 3rd, 
1866. In this action, the Session expresses a sense of its 
own bereavement, and that of the Church, by the death 
of Elder Waldron. It extends its sympathy to his fam- 
ily and friends, and testify to his faithful Christian life 
for more than twenty years. 

November 17th, 1867. The Session met to take sim- 
ilar action in regard to Elder Young. That action is as 
follows: "Peter P. Young united with this Church in 
1829, when thirty-five years of age. He left us for the 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 237 

'fellowship' above on the 30th of October, 1867, making 
thirty-eight years of consistent Christian life, thirty-six of 
which were spent in the eldership, with good results to 
us and the Church." 

February 23rd, 1868. Elder Jacob S. Prall was 
granted a certificate to the Second Reformed Church of 
Somerville, to which place he had moved. 

These losses in the eldership were followed with a con- 
ference by the Session January 26th, 1870, with refer- 
ence to securing additional members to the Session, and 
also the propriety of choosing a board of deacons. The 
Session decided to recommend both measures to the 
Church, but before they were carried out the death of 
Elder Jacob Voorhees occurred. 

The precise day of the death of Mr. Voorhees is not 
given, but it was announced on Sabbath, February 13th, 
1870, at which notice was given of his funeral. 

The election of elders and deacons took place accord- 
ing to previous arrangement, and the expressed desire of 
Mr. Voorhees during his sickness, on the 26th day of 
February. The following persons were on this day nom- 
inated and unanimously elected, viz: To the office of 
elder, Zebulon Stout, William Hill and Irenaeus R. Glen, 
M. D. To the office of deacon, Abraham J. Prall, Lewis 
Sutphin, John Quick, Martin J. Bellis, Jonathan Hig- 
gins and Joseph C. Harrison. These persons were set 
apart by ordination, and installation to their respective 
offices, March 20th, 1870. The Session met March 24th 
and passed the following tribute to the life and character 
of Elder Voorhees: 

"We desire to express our sense of loss sustained by the 



238 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Church and by the Session in the death of Eider Jacob 
Voorhees. This loss is the more keenly felt because lat- 
terly his health had improved, and he had become more 
than ever useful. And yet we cannot but rejoice with 
the family and the Church, that he was spared to us so 
long, being over three score and ten years of age, of 
which more than forty years were given to us in the faith 
and work of Christ. We remember, too, with special 
thankfulness that he could die in sleep. It must have 
been a great relief to him who had known so much of suf- 
fering, 'to sleep in Jesus and be blessed.' " 

The Session received the following persons into the 
membership of the Church during Mr. Upham's pastor- 
ate: 

April 2nd, 1865. On examination: Miss Pauline 
Meyers. 

April 8th. Mrs. Augustus Young. 

May 1st. Irenaeus R. Glen, M. D., was received by 
certificate. 

July 29th. Edward I. Smith was received on exam- 
ination, and on certificate Mrs. Martha W. Voorhees, 
Mrs. Annie H. Upham, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth WyckofI, 
Mrs. Martha Smith, Mrs. Christiana Hiner and Wil- 
liam Q. Hiner. 

October 28th. On examination: John Emilie Hol- 
combe and Mrs. Holcombe, his wife. 

January 28th, 1866. Session received William H. Lan- 
ning and Mrs. Elizabeth Lanning. 

May 6th. On examination: Mrs. Harrison Sutphin 
and Miss Amanda Quick. 

July 28th. Miss Catherine Quick and Miss Caroline 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820- 1900 239 

Johnson, and on certificate, Mrs. William J. Huffman 
and Mrs. E. Rynearson. 

November 10th. Mrs. Sarah Pyatt, on examination. 

February 3rd, 1867. Mrs. Margaret B. Van Bleet, 
Miss Sarah Housel. On certificate, Col. John H. Sut- 
phin, Mrs. Dr. Irenaeus R. Glen, Miss Augusta Case. 

May 4th. On examination, Mrs. Mahlon Higgins, 
Mrs. Stout Servis, Abram J. Prall and his wife, Mrs. 
Prall. 

August 17th. On certificate, John Wilson and his 
wife, Charles Wilson and his wife, William G. Hill and 
Mrs. Rebecca Ann Hill. 

August 18. On examination, Miss Mary Dalrymple. 

November 17th. Mrs. Miller R. Reading, Miss Mary 
Catherine Hartsel, Miss Susan Anna Packer and Wil- 
liam C. Ball, and on certificate, J. T. Hudnut. 

February 23rd, 1868. On examination, William B. 
Prall and his w : ie, Mrs. Elizabeth Prall, and Miss Car- 
oline Rodenbaugh. 

May 24th. Miss Anna Housel, Mrs. Mary Crouse, 
Mrs. Mary Conover, Levi Housel and Edward Lanson. 
On certificate, John J. Marsh and Mrs. Mariah Marsh. 

December 26th. Miss Rebecca Huffman. 

June 26th, 1869. On certificate, Mrs. Martha Skill- 
man Holcombe. 

September 25th. On examination, Miss Louisa Cole. 

October 31st. Jerry Bristow (colored). 

January 30th, 1870. On examination, Miss Jane 
Hagins, Miss Mary Ann Thomson, and on certificate, 
Mrs. Rebecca B. Hageman. 

April 9th. On examination, Henry H. Hageman, 



2 4 o AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Miss Carrie Hill, Miss Mary C. Reed, and on certifi- 
cate, Mrs. John Williamson. 

June 19th. Jacob H. Wessels, Albert Case, and Mrs. 
Mary Jennings Crocker from Wesleyan Methodist 
Church near Plymouth, England. 

April 8th, 1 87 1. On certificate, Mrs. John P. Quick. 

October 14th. Dr. George P. Rex and Mrs. Ger- 
trude Rex from Presbyterian Church, Selma, Alabama. 

Summing these up we have thirty-seven persons re- 
ceived into the membership of the Church on examination, 
and twenty-nine on certificate, or sixty-six additions to the 
Church during the six and one-half years of Mr. Up- 
ham's pastorate. And yet so great had been the number 
of removals from the Church by death and dismission on 
certificate that Mr. Upham reported the membership 
of the Church less by four at the close of his pastorate 
than when he began. 

And even this number (134) was larger than the ac- 
tual membership on the ground, as we notice at the open- 
ing of the next pastorate the roll was still further re- 
duced. 

The pastorate of Mr. Upham is remarkable for the bap- 
tism of thirty-one infant children. Also for the death of 
three ruling elders and for the election of six elders and 
six deacons. One elder, Dr. I. R. Glen, was dismissed 
to the Church at Pluckemin at the close of Mr. Upham's 
pastorate. 

But no one thing distinguished this short pastorate 
more than the fact that under Mr. Upham the very com- 
fortable parsonage was built. 

In the Spring of 1865 a lot was purchased of Robert 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 241 

R. Smith on which this building was erected during the 
Summer. The cost of the parsonage was about $5,000, 
exclusive of a large amount of work gratuitously ren- 
dered by the congregation. 

I quote with full concurrence a remark by Dr. Blatten- 
berger, that the building reflects credit upon the liber- 
ality of this congregation. It would be an ornament 
to any rural village. It has been a comfortable home 
for five of your pastors before my coming, and I can 
testify to having enjoyed this home very greatly during 
these years of my ministry. I am also informed that the 
trees on the lawn were selected by Mr. Stout and Mr. 
Robbins, and that Mr. Robbins had the selection of the 
maples; he took great pains to have them perfectly 
straight. This accounts for their handsome appearance. 
"These, with the evergreens, make the lawn a thing of 
beauty." 

It is apparent that Mr. Upham's pastorate had an 
auspicious beginning. The people "had a mind to work," 
and also a mind to give. This is evident from the liberal 
way in which the improvements of the Church were made, 
and from their generosity to the pastor himself. It was 
also shown by their wider Christian beneficence. Mr. 
Upham succeeded beyond any former pastor of the 
Church in developing this grace of Christian beneficence, 
and bringing the Church into full accord and co-operation 
in the work as appointed by the General Assembly. This 
shows him to have been loyal to the Presbyterian Church, 
though his education had been in another denomination. 

In the minutes, as kept by him, we find for the first 
time a full and orderly record of the benevolent work of 



242 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

the Church. He not only secured contributions to the 
several objects specified by the Assembly, but also much 
for outside causes. It is true that the gifts to objects 
under the care of the Boards of the Church, did not reach 
the amounts of later years, yet, if we include the sums 
given to miscellaneous causes, and the large amounts to 
the American Bible Society, the total sum given will 
nearly equal the best efforts of the Church in Christian 
beneficence in later years. 

And this was accomplished, too, before the days in 
which the Christian women came forward in personal 
effort and consecrated means, by which the funds of the 
Church, for benevolent work, have been so largely in- 
creased. 

The sum total of contributions to the Boards of the 
Church during the six years of Mr. Upham's pastorate, 
is $595-79 being a yearly average of $99.30. The largest 
of the single contributions was $32, twice given to For- 
eign Missions, and the next highest to Home Missions, 
$25.69. These are much below our present gifts. But the 
contributions to education and ministerial relief had a 
much higher average than they do now. Contributions 
for the same six years to the American Bible Society 
were $361, averaging $60 a year, and the highest for 
any one year being $73. This is far beyond what the 
Church is doing to-day for this blessed cause. The gifts 
to miscellaneous causes, including such objects as Howard 
Mission American Sunday School Union Fund for Sea- 
men and the like amounted to $113.87, making a sum 
total of benevolence of $1,070.83, or a yearly average 
of $178.44. This large advance in beneficence by this 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 243 

Church is all the more commendable, because it was at the 
time when it had made its largest gifts for its own sup- 
port and improvement. 

The exact amount of money expended on the parson- 
age, as shown by the records, was in 1866, being $4,500, 
and in 1869, for the debt on parsonage, $360, making a 
cash cost of the same $4,860. Then we have in 1868, 
for Church repairs, $400, and in 1869, for Session Room 
and Sunday School Library, $137. The congregational 
expenses, including pastor's salary, ($750), and incident- 
als for the same period were just $6,000. To this was 
added for four of these years cash donation to the pas- 
tor in sums ranging from $175 to $317, and the fifth 
year, to the pastor's wife, $125, making in all $1,119. 
There was also a contribution for Sunday School Library 
and a poor fund of $51. This brings the amount ex- 
pended by the Church for its own work during these six 
years up to $11,448, and to benevolence, $1,070.83. This 
is the best showing, financially, in the Church's history. 

Mr. Upham remained in charge until October 15th, 
or six months after his last report. The report presented 
by his successors, for the year in which, each had been in 
charge for a part of the year, shows that the beneficence 
of the Church kept well up to the standard of former 
years. The total for the year is for beneficence, about 
$175, and for Church expenses $1,152. This will bring 
the Church's beneficence for the seven years up to $1,250, 
and for its own work and improvements to $12,593. 

This account of Mr. Upham's pastorate may well be 
followed with a brief sketch of his life. The Rev. Na- 
thaniel L. Upham was born of Christian parents at Con- 



244 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

cord, New Hampshire, in 1833. He prepared for col- 
lege at Phillips' Academy, Andover, Mass. He graduted 
at Dartmouth College, N. H., in 1853, and at Andover 
Theological Seminary in 1858. He was ordained by the 
Bennington Congregational Association of Vermont to 
the gospel ministry at Manchester, in 1859, and installed 
pastor of the Congregational Church in that place at the 
same date. After serving that Church for two years he 
came to Flemington, N. J., and took charge of the Pres- 
byterian Church there during the absence of pastor Rev. 
John L. Janeway, who was chaplain of the 30th N. J. 
Volunteers during the nine months' service. Mr. Upham 
was mustered into the service October, 1863, and made 
chaplain of the 35th N. J. Volunteers. He was received 
as a member of the Presbytery of Raritan before leaving 
for the army. He remained in the service until he came 
to Reaville early in 1865. He was installed pastor of 
this Church the second Tuesday of June, 1865, and re- 
mained as pastor until October 15th, 1871. 

It was during his pastorate in 1869 that the union 
between the old and new school branches of the Pres- 
byterian Church occurred, and that the special meeting 
of the Synod of New Jersey, June 21st, was held. At 
this Synod the Presbytery of Raritan was dissolved, 
and the churches comprising it divided between the Pres- 
byteries of Elizabeth, of Newton and New Brunswick. 
Am well First was returned to New Brunswick, in which 
it had been a member from the time of its organization in 
1738 until 1817, when the Church was one of the num- 
ber constituting the Presbytery of Newton. 

Mr. Upham was led to tender his resignation as pas- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 245 

tor of this Church because of impaired health, resulting 
from sunstroke, which he suffered while in the army. 
After a brief rest he took charge of a new enterprise at 
Merchantville, N. J., remaining there for ten years, but 
able to preach but one sermon each Sabbath. He then be- 
came Secretary of the Presbyterian Ministers' Annuity 
Fund in Philadelphia. He left this position after several 
years service, and accepted the position of Secretary of 
the Philadelphia Tract and Mission Society, which po- 
sition he now holds. His residence is in Germantown, 
Pa. In connection with his service in the army it may be 
remarked that four of the pastors of this Church have 
been army chaplains. Rev. William Kirkpatrick in the 
Indian wars in colonial times, and Revs. Van Wyck, 
Janeway and Upham in the late war for the Union. 

THE THIRTEENTH PASTOR, REV. JOHN H. SCOFIELD, 
l872 1874. 

The Rev. John H. Scofield of the Presbytery of New 
Brunswick was the thirteenth pastor of this Church. He 
moderated a meeting of the Session as pastor-elect as 
early as January 13th, 1872. He was residing at French- 
town at his wife's home at the time of his call. He had 
been for some time without charge on account of impaired 
health. Mr. Scofield was installed pastor of this Church 
by a committee of the Presbytery, February 20th, 1872. 
The Rev. Daniel R. Foster preached the sermon, pre- 
sided and proposed the constitutional questions. The 
Rev. George S. Mott gave the charge to the pastor and 
the Rev. John D. Hewitt gave the charge to the people. 
The Rev. Samuel Harrison was present and assisted in 
these services. 



246 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

The elders of the Church at this time were John H. 
Johnson, Zebulon Stout and William G. Hill. 

The annual congregational meeting was held March 
nth, 1872. Lewis Sutphin was Chairman of this meet- 
ing, and Caleb F. Quick, Secretary. 

The Trustees elected were John Y. Bellis, William 

B. Prall, Lewis Sutphin, Lewis C. Case, Jacob Quick, 
Caleb F. Quick and Robert W. Hunt. 

The annual congregational meeting held March 10th, 
1873, was presided over by Clinton B. Blackwell, with 

C. F. Quick as Secretary. The Trustees elected were 
the same as in 1872, with the exception that Clinton B. 
Blackwell was chosen in the place of John Y. Bellis. 

At this meeting a vote of thanks was given to Joseph 
W. Wood for presenting and securing the passage of a 
bill by the Legislature, by which the parsonage lot and 
buildings thereon were exempt from taxation, and for 
paying the necessary expenses of the same. 

The Session met at the parsonage April 13th, 1872, 
and decided to take action for adding to their number. 
For this purpose they placed in nomination for the office 
of Ruling Elder, John Y. Bellis, George P. Rex. M. D., 
and Abraham J. Prall. April 27th was appointed for 
this election. Notice of this action was given from the 
pulpit on the following Sabbath, and also that the 
Church would have the privilege of adding to the num- 
bers, and also of nominating persons for the office of dea- 
con. The Church assembled accordingly on the 27th. 
No additional nominations for Ruling Elder being made. 

It was resolved to take the vote, "viva voce," when 
John Y. Bellis, George P. Rex, M. D., and Abraham 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 247 

J. Prall were unanimously elected to the office of Ruling 
Elder. 

The Board of Deacons then, through the Moderator, 
placed in nomination for the office of deacon, Samuel V. 
Conover, William B. Prall and John E. Holcombe. These 
persons were at the same time and in the same manner 
unanimously elected to the office of deacon. After the 
sermon these persons were ordained to their respective of- 
fices, by prayer, and the laying on of hands. The Ses- 
sion at once convened, and the newly-ordained elders 
took their seats in the Session. The deacons were in- 
vited to confer with them. The subject under consider- 
ation was a plan of collections, with a view to encourage 
systematic beneficence. This matter was deferred to a 
future time for action. July 6th, the plan presented and 
adopted was to take a collection for each cause recom- 
mended by the General Assembly, and on the days sug- 
gested by the Assembly. On all other Sabbaths the col- 
lections taken were to supplement the deficiency of sub- 
scriptions for incidental expenses, and the balance to be 
used by Session for beneficence. But there was friction in 
the working of the plan, and in November it was decided 
to divide the collections taken on other days than those 
devoted expressly to the causes of the Boards, equally be- 
tween the Trustees and the Session. The subject was 
up for further consideration and improvement of the 
plan at the April meeting following. But with all this 
conference and plan there was no advance in the benefi- 
cence of the Church, except to Foreign Missions, during 
the last year of this pastorate, while the gifts to other 
causes were decidedly less than under the previous pastor. 



248 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

This effort shows that the subject of beneficence is not an 
easy one to handle in this congregation. The following 
persons were received into the membership of the Church 
while Mr. Scofield was pastor 

March 30th, 1872. On examination: Miss Hannah 
M. Rex, Mrs. Sarah L. Waters. On certificate: Har- 
rison Sutphin and Caroline Sutphin, his wife. 

March 1st, 1873. On examination: Rachel W. Con- 
over, John Waters, Peter Quick Holcombe, Emma So- 
phia Bellis, Abraham Prall, Jr., Mrs. Anna Cornelia 
Prall, Mrs. Ara Hill Blackwell, Mrs. Catherine Louisa 
McPherson and Miss Hannah M. Sutphin. 

May 31st. On certificate: Miss Jeannette McPher- 
son, Mrs. Annie E. Crouse, Samuel H. Hageman, Mary 

C, his wife, John N. Giles, Sarah C, his wife, Aaron 
Auten and Sarah M., his wife. 

September 5th. On examination: Miss Caroline V. 

D. Case. 

October 4th. Miss Catherine C. Case. 

December 6th. Mrs. Susan Hageman. 

January 31st, 1874. Elizabeth Ann Hilyer. 

At a meeting of Session, December 27th, 1873, the 
pastor informed the Session that he had received a call 
to the Presbyterian Church of Kingston, N. J. After 
consideration by Session the pastor was advised to lay the 
matter before the congregation on the next Sabbath. This 
was done, and at the meeting of Session, January 31st, 
1874, it was decided to call a congregational meeting 
"next Monday," "to take such action as may be deemed 
wise." The result was that William G. Hill and Dr. 
George P. Rex. were appointed commissioners to repre- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 249 

sent the Church at the meeting of Presbytery, to be held 
at Princeton, February 3rd, 1874. The pastor and the 
commissioners were heard at this meeting and the pastoral 
relation between Rev. John H. Scofield and the Am well 
First Church was dissolved. The Session obtained leave 
to supply their own pulpit until the next stated meeting 
of Presbytery. 

The Session met February 28th, 1874, with the Rev. 
Robert S. Manning as Moderator. Dr. Rex was ap- 
pointed Clerk of Session. It appears that fifteen persons 
were received into the membership of the Church on ex- 
amination, and ten on certificate during Mr. Scofield's 
pastorate. 

The records also show that during this pastorate there 
were frequent meetings of the Session for conference and 
prayer, seeking thereby to promote the spiritual condition 
of the Church. It is also evident that the pastor was 
zealous in labor, and in counsel to increase the benefi- 
cence of the Church. Earnest efforts of his, in the cause 
of temperance are also on record. The Session likewise 
united in a strong yet tender testimony against dancing, 
and counseled the members of the Church "to abstain from 
this practice so as to avoid the very appearance of evil." 

During this pastorate, as already stated, three new mem- 
bers were added to the Session. But at its first meeting, 
after this increase, the Session was called upon to give a 
letter of dismission to Elder John H. Johnson, who had 
removed from the congregation. 

Mr. Upham, at his last report, had stated the mem- 
bership of the Church at 134. Within two months after 
Mr. Scofield, his successor became pastor, the annual re- 



250 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

port was called for. The Session revised the roll for, this 
purpose, and found the membership on the ground to 
be only 112, which shows the usual removals and losses 
to have taken place. And two of these had been received 
by Mr. Scofield before this report was made. In the fol- 
lowing year, though eleven (11) new members had been 
received, so large had been the removals by death and 
by letter, that the Church could report but 109 mem- 
bers. And in the following year, 1874, the report made 
out, but a short time after Mr. Scofield had left, though 
twelve had been received, such had been the losses that 
the membership was 108. 

The statistical reports for the two years of Mr. Sco- 
field 's pastorate show that this Church contributed to the 
Boards of the Church for 1873, $142, and $60 to the 
Bible Society, being a total of $202.00, and in 1874 the 
contributions to the Boards were $130, and $55 to the 
Bible Society, being a total for beneficence of $185.00. 
With this very creditable showing the Church contri- 
buted for its own work $1,970 in 1873, of which $1,000 
was for the pastor's salary, being the highest as yet paid 
by the Church, and this was a year of "hard times, too." 
The pastor also received $150 as donation. The esti- 
mated rent of the parsonage was $350, and $268 the in- 
cidental expenses. The membership of the Sabbath 
School was $150. 

In 1874 the salary continuing to be $1,000, the do- 
nation was $300, rent of parsonage rated at $350, and 
expenses of Sabbath School $137, and incidental expenses 
$160, making a total of the Church for its own work 
$1,947 f° r tne vear - I* was during Mr. Scofield's pas- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 251 

torate that the Church began to report an estimated rent 
of the parsonage as a part of its money raised annually for 
its own expenses. This custom is continued to the pres- 
ent time. I believe this to be unwise, and even without 
right; without right because the cost of the parsonage 
was reported, and the Church had credit for the money 
paid when the parsonage was built, and also in 1869, 
when a small balance of the expense on the same was 
paid. Having thus been given to the Lord, the Church 
has no more right to credit itself with interest on this 
money than it has to credit interest on any other money 
given for Church or benevolent purposes. It is entirely 
right for the Church to say it pays its pastor the stated 
salary, and gives him the free use of the parsonage, which 
increases his salary to that amount. This is doubtless 
what is aimed at. 

The unwisdom of it, beyond the fact stated, is this, 
that it represents the ability of the Church for benevo- 
lent work to be greater than it actually is, for it is a 
recognized principle that what a Church is able to do 
annually for its own work becomes a safe standard of its 
ability to do for work outside its own borders. 

It now remains for me to give a brief sketch of Mr. Sco- 
field's life. John Henry Scofield was born at Schuyler- 
ville, N. Y., 1833. He graduated at Princeton from the 
College in i860, and from the Seminary in 1863. He 
was licensed to preach the gospel June 10th, 1862, by the 
Presbytery of Stillwater, and ordained to the gospel min- 
istry July 28th, 1863, by the Presbytery of North River. 
He was pastor of the Church at New Hamburg, N. Y., 
from 1863 to 1868; pastor-elect at Dayton, N. J., '69- 



252 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

'70; pastor of Amwell First from 1872 to 1874, and at 
Kingston, N. J., from 1874 to 1880. In this pastorate 
at Kingston Mr. Scofield did his most important work, 
both in gathering persons into the membership of the 
Church, and in promoting the cause of Christian benefi- 
cence. One hundred persons united with the Church at 
Kingston, while he was pastor there, of whom two-thirds 
were received on examination. 

From Kingston Mr. Scofield went to East Hampton, 
Mass., where he resided from '80 to '84, at which time his 
sons were preparing for college. He was not engaged in 
pastoral work at this time. He was installed pastor of 
the Mt. Olive Church, in the Presbytery of Morris and 
Orange, May 29th, 1884. He continues in that field at 
the present time, his residence being at Budd's Lake, N. 
J. As already stated, Mr. Scofield married Miss Ann 
Elizabeth Hedges, a descendant of Governor Reading. 
This relationship has been sufficiently spoken of in con- 
nection with that distinguished family. 

THE FOURTEENTH PASTOR, REV. JOHN S. BEEKMAN, 
1875— 1878. 

After the pastoral relation between Rev. John H. 
Scofield and the Amwell First Church was dissolved, the 
Presbytery appointed the Rev. R. S. Manning to declare 
the pulpit vacant February 15th, 1874. The Session met 
February 28th, presided over by Mr. Manning. Dr. 
George P. Rex was again elected Clerk of Session. Dr. 
Rex made out the report to Presbytery April following. 
At this meeting of Presbytery Dr. George S. Mott was 
appointed Moderator of your Session. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 253 

At the meeting of the congregation April 27th, 1874, 
Caleb F. Quick was elected Chairman, and Clinton B. 
Blackwell, Secretary. The Trustees elected were Wil- 
liam Bellis, William B. Prall, Lewis Sutphin, Lewis 
Case, Peter Q. Holcombe, Caleb F. Quick and John H. 
Williamson. 

The congregation engaged the Rev. William C. Mac- 
beth as a stated supply for the pulpit for the next six 
months. 

Mr. Macbeth occupied this pulpit a few Sabbaths af- 
ter this engagement expired. His last service was No- 
vember 8th. The Rev. John S. Beekman preached here 
as a candidate November 29th, and continuously until 
January 3rd. The next day — January 4th, 1875 — a call 
was made for the pastoral services of Mr. Beekman, which 
call he accepted. The salary named in the call was $900. 
He was installed as your pastor February 16th, 1875, by 
a committee from the Presbytery of New Brunswick. 
This committee consisted of Rev. John D. Hewitt, who 
presided, preached the sermon, and proposed the consti- 
titutional questions. The Rev. C. H. Asay gave the 
charge to the pastor, and the Rev. George S. Mott, D. 
D., gave the charge to the people. 

The elders at this time were Zebulon Stout, William 
G. Hill, John Y. Bellis, Abraham J. Prall and George 
P. Rex, M. D. March 6th the Session met and re- 
ceived the following persons into the membership of the 
Church. On examination: Mrs. Hannah Wood, widow 
of James W. Wood, and Catherine Van Est Sutphin, wife 
of William Sutphin. On certificate: Mrs. Helen B. 
Beekman from the Reformed Church of Metuchen, and 



254 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Harriet Mary Williams (colored), from the same place 

Received April 19th. On examination: Mrs. Mary 
Elizabeth Wortman and Miss Selina Bonnell Wortman. 

October 23. The Session arranged for a series of 
meetings to be held "previous to our next communion," 
and to begin Wednesday, December 1st. 

November 8th. The Session, by a unanimous vote, 
adopted as the book of song the Presbyterian Hymnal, 
which is still in use. 

The Session met December 4th and received into the 
membership of the Church on examination: Miss Eliza- 
beth C. Sutphin, and Sunday morning, December 5th, 
John K. Shurts and Miss Sallie A. Waters. 

February 4th, 1876. The Session met and received 
into the communion of the Church, on examination : Wil- 
liam Deats, George S. Davis, William Osborn and Moses 
Lapsley; also Miss Hannah M. Hill, Miss Catherine 
Quick, Miss Cassie Rex and Miss Mary Fink. 

February nth. The following persons were received 
on examination: John S. Hoagland, Jacob Osborn, Miss 
Juliette Blanche W. Beekman, Miss Addie H. Prall, 
Miss Mary Quick, Miss Mary D. Hoagland, Mrs. Eliza 
Hill, Mrs. Martha H. Young and Mrs. Esther Ann 
Osborn. 

February 19th, Miss Luella Stryker and John W. 
Dalrymple. 

March 4th. The Session received the following per- 
sons into Church membership on examination, viz: Bar- 
ton Huffman, David B. Huffman, Lewis Getherd and 
Miss Maggie K. Smith. And on certificate: Nathaniel 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 255 

G. Wilson and Mrs. Caroline A. Wilson, his wife, and 
Mrs. Sarah V. Pierce. 

At the communion service held March 5th, twenty- 
three persons who had been received on examination since 
February 4th, made a public profession of their faith in 
Christ, of which number twelve were baptized. These, 
with the three received on certificate, gave an addition 
of twenty-six (26) to the membership of the Church. 
While having this large accession to the membership of 
the Church, the Session at its meeting March 4th took 
action against two of the members of the Church, re- 
quiring them to abstain from the communion on the fol- 
lowing Sabbath. The reason assigned in one case for 
allowing gambling on his premises, against which he had 
been counseled previously, and the other for misconduct, 
for which there had been as yet no previous action taken. 

November 12th, 1876. By the unanimous action of 
the Session, it was agreed that this Church would be 
among the number of associated and adjacent churches to 
contribute annually to the support of any missionary that 
might be employed either by the Classis of Philadelphia, 
or members of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, to la- 
bor among the people living on Sourland Mountain. This 
endeavor was put into successful operation, and it is a 
matter of history, effected a marvellous change for the 
better in that field. 

March 13th, 1877. The Session received, on examina- 
tion, Millard Farrow and Theodore Todd. These were 
the only persons received into the Church for the year 
ending April 1st, 1877. 

June 2nd, 1877. The Session received, on certificate, 



256 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Mrs. Magdalene Waldron, Mrs. Joanna Farrow and 
her daughters, the Misses Naomi, Helen and Emma. 
These four came from the Methodist Church in New- 
ark, and the five were the only ones received during the 
year ending April, 1878. 

During the first year of Mr. Beekman's pastorate, if we 
extend it back to the time of his installation in Febru- 
ary-, instead of beginning with April, thirty persons were 
received into the Church on examination and ten on cer- 
tificate. During the second year two persons were re- 
ceived on examination and none on certificate, and in the 
third year five were received on certificate and none on 
examination. The total number received during this 
pastorate was thirty-two on examination and ten on 
certificate, or forty-two in all, which gives a higher yearly 
average of additions than has occurred in most of the pas- 
torates. And Mr. Beekman's first year ranks among the 
most prosperous in the Church's history, while the addi- 
tions during the second and third years place the record 
among the lowest. We should remember, however, that 
it is a very common experience to have a year of large 
ingathering, followed by a period of very small ingather- 
ing. This has been true here, in the time of other pas- 
tors, and true in many other churches. It is at the samt 
time evident that these last two years of Mr. Beekman's 
pastorate were years of trouble and dissatisfaction. The 
Session had on its hands an unusual number of cases of 
discipline. In some of these the persons dealt with were 
suspended, in others, explanations were accepted as sat- 
isfactory. Finally, however, there was an outbreak of 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 257 

unpleasant feeling between members of the Session and 
the pastor. 

The "records of the congregation," to which we shall 
refer in speaking of their action, show the same state of 
feeling to have existed between some of the Trustees 
and the pastor. This trouble had the usual result, viz: 
to diminish the receipts of the treasury. 

Justly or unjustly this uniformally follows. I mention 
these things, not to take sides with or against either par- 
ty, but in giving the history, to be true to "the truth of 
things." The "difficulty" was before the Session for de- 
liberation, where it properly belongs, if it must be at all, 
as early as September 14th, 1877. At this time the pastor 
stated his willingness to tender his resignation, to take 
effect not later than the first of April next, on condition 
that the salary due him be paid, and that he may have 
the use of the parsonage until needed by his successor. 
This proposal was finally concurred in by the congrega- 
tion. This was stated to the pastor at a meeting of the 
Session held April 6th, 1878, and all salary due him up 
to April 1st was paid at this time, and receipt given. Mr. 
Beekman then requested the Session to call a meeting of 
the congregation to appoint commissioners to Presbytery 
to unite with him in a request for a dissolution of the 
pastoral relation existing between himself and the Am- 
well First Church. This was done and the relation was 
dissolved by Presbytery at its meeting held a few days 
after this action. 

The following is a brief record of the meetings of the 
congregation while Mr. Beekman was pastor: 

The first annual meeting of the congregation following 

17 



2 5 8 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

the installation cf Mr. Beekman was held May ioth. 
1875. Of this meeting William G. Hill was elected 
Chairman ar.d Caleb F. Quick. Secretary . Tee report 
of the Trustees was read and approved. The following 
persons were moser. Trustees t:r tee ensuing year, viz: 
William W. Beilis. William B. Prall. Lewis' Sutphin, 
Jonathan B. Higgirs Peter Q. Helccmee. Tclor. H. Wil- 
liamscn and Martin T. Beilis. Martin T. Beilis was 
: he sen President and Treasurer cf the Beard. 

The annual meeting for 1876 was held on the 10th 
:: Marcn. Clinton B. Blackwell was elected Cnairmco 
and C. F. Quick. Secretary of thus meeting. After tw; 
ad; turned meetings the congregation met and elected the 
following Trustees: William W. Beilis. William B. 
Prall. Lewis Sutphin. Lewis C. Case. Peter Q. Hclcomhe. 
Halloway Streeter and Martin T. Beilis. Martin T. 
Beilis was again elected Presicent and Treasurer tt toe 
Board. 

A special meeting cf the congregation was called for 
February dth. 1S77. The purptse tf this meeting was 
stated in the call "to consider what should re dene in 
order to raise the more t: cay the salary then in ar- 
rears." William G. Hill was elected Cnairman cf this 
meeting and Clinton B. Blackwell. Secretary. The Treas- 
urer reported that the deficiency in salary on April is: 
next would be S216. and for incidentals $53.99. Expla- 
nations were called for. but only partially given. It was 
then moved that the chair appoint a committee to wait 
on the pastor and inform him that the congregation could 
pay him only $700 yearly. 

The chcir decided the motion vas out of order, cr.d 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 259 

refused to put it. It was then moved to appeal from the 
chair, which motion also he refused to entertain, saying 
he would leave the chair if the attempt was made to com- 
pel him to put the motion before the meeting, declaring 
the motions contrary to the rules of Presbytery. 

The motions were withdrawn and the meeting ad- 
journed. 

The annual meeting of the congregation was held 
April 7th, 1877. William G. Hill was again elected 
Chairman, Calab F. Quick was chosen Secretary. Af- 
ter deliberation the meeting adjourned to April 23rd. 
The Treasurer read his report, which showed there was 
yet due Mr. Beekman $258.55, and for incidental ex- 
penses $34-73. 

The following persons were chosen Trustees, viz : Wil- 
liam B. Prall, Lewis Sutphin, Thomas Miller, Peter Q. 
Holcombe, Robert R. Smith, Holloway Streeter and 
John Quick. John Quick was elected President and 
Treasurer of the Board. 

A meeting of the congregation was called January 
14th, 1878. Of this meeting George P. Rex, M. D., was 
chosen President, and M. J. Bellis, Secretary. The Treas- 
urer, Mr. John Quick, stated that the object of the meet- 
ing was to consider the raising of $400, the sum then due 
the pastor and some current expenses. A committee was 
appointed, consisting of A. J. Prall and Zebulon Stout, 
and as the records show the money was secured. 

There was again a very large number of removals 
from the congregation while Mr. Beekman was pastor, 
as there had been in previous years. When he came to 
the Church the report to Presbytery showed 108 mem- 



260 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

bers in connection with the Church. Though he re- 
ceived 39, yet when he left the membership was 105. 

We regret to add that there was also a falling off in 
the benevolent contributions of the Church, during the 
same period. During the first year 1876 the total con- 
tributions to the causes under the care of the Boards of 
the Church was $99.46. Of this amount $56.00 were 
for Foreign Missions, contributions to miscellaneous 
causes and for incidentals, amounted to $210.50. As the 
Church had uniformly given to the American Bible So- 
ciety, it is to be presumed a part of the "miscellaneous" 
went to this cause. 

In 1877 the total contribution to beneficence is $117, 
with a probable contribution of $59 to the Bible Society, 
as that is the amount found under the head of "miscel- 
laneous." In 1878 the sum total was $94, with a pos- 
sible $50 to the Bible Society. The total amount of 
congregational expenses for the congregation for these three 
years is $3,541. 

It is one of the pleasant thing to be stated of Mr. 
Beekman' pastorate, that to him and Mrs. Beekman be- 
longs the credit of having organized the Woman's For- 
eign Missionary Society of this Church. We have no 
record of this organization in any of our books. And all 
the early minutes of the Society are lost. But I learned 
the fact, in my researches in Philadelphia in behalf of 
the Church. The books of the Woman's Foreign Mis- 
sionary Society of the Presbyterian Church, kept in that 
city, and to which our Society reports through its Pres- 
byterial officers, show that the first contribution from the 
Society of Amwell First Church was sent in 1877. This 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 261 

implies that our society was organized in 1876. Mrs. 
Beekman was the first Secretary, and so far as we know 
the late Mrs. Caleb F. Quick was the first Treasurer. 
The amount raised the first year by this society was 
$28.25. 

Mr. Beekman, as well as Mr. Janeway, was a class- 
mate of mine at Princeton College, and though I have 
not met him since he was pastor of this Church, I have 
had some correspondence with him about matters of our 
class. We have noticed the evidence of no little trouble 
during his connection with this Church. And yet he 
was not without friends, at the time of his leaving, nor 
without enjoyment while here. In a letter received from 
him a few years ago, he remarked in closing, "it seems 
strange that you are in the old parsonage where I spent 
many a happy day." 

The Rev. John Stottofr" Beekman was born at Middle- 
bush, N. J., Oct. 19th, 1833. He entered Rutgers Col- 
lege in 1853 and passed Freshman and Sophomore years 
in that institution. In the fall of '55 he went to Prince- 
ton, entering the junior class, and graduated with the 
class in 1857. He spent some time in Union Seminary, 
then entered Princeton Theological Seminary, middle 
year, class of 1858, and remained 1 two years. He was 
stated supply at Livingston, Alabama, from '60 to '61. 
He was ordained by the Presbytery of Peoria, 111., June 
10th, 1863. He became stated supply at Farmington, 111., 
in 1862, and in 1863 was installed pastor of the Church 
at that place, remaining until 1866. He was installed 
pastor of the Presbyterian Church of French Grove, 111., 
in 1866, and served the Church until 1869. His minis- 



262 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

try here was marked with success, both in the growth of 
the Church and the increase of beneficence. He next 
went to Paola, Kansas, where he labored as a Home Mis- 
sionary from 1869 to 1870. He came East and was 
stated supply to the First Reformed Dutch Church of 
Somerset from 1871 to 1874. He preached as a candi- 
date here in Reaville from November 29th, 1874, 
until January 3rd, 1875. He received a call to the pas- 
torate of this Church January 4th, and was installed pas- 
tor February 16th, 1875. The pastoral relation was dis- 
solved by the Presbytery of New Brunswick at the City 
of New Brunswick, April 9th, 1878. 

From Reaville Mr. Beekman moved during the Sum- 
mer to Princeton and engaged in teaching and acting as 
a supply to vacant pulpits. While in Princeton he en- 
tered the Episcopal Church as a "candidate for orders" 
in that Church. From Princeton he went to Florida 
and received ordination at Federal Point, Florida, in 
1887. He served the Church at that place as rector from 
1886 to 1888. He was rector at Green Cove Springs in 
1888 and 1889. I lost sight of him then for a short time. 
In 1896 he was at Datona, and in 1897, when I last 
heard from him he was rector at Sea Breeze, Florida. 

Mr. Beekman remained at this place until his work 
was done. A local paper made the announcement that 
the Rev. John Stotoff Beekman, at one time pastor of the 
Presbyterian Church at Reaville, died at Sea Breeze, 
Florida, July nth, 1901, aged about sixty-eight years. 
I never had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Beekman preach, 
but he was a good scholar, ranking well among his class- 
mates. And while it is true that he experienced many 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 263 

difficulties the record as here given also shows gratifying 
achievement for the Church and the Master. 

THE FIFTEENTH PASTOR, REV. J. W. P. BLATTENBERGER, 
1878—1887. 

When the pastoral relation between Mr. Beekman and 
this Church had been dissolved, the Presbytery appointed 
the Rev. J. T. Osier tp preach here April 14th, and de- 
clare the pulpit vacant. During the Summer the Church 
had numerous supplies and candidates. Among the can- 
didates was the Rev. J. W. P. Blattenberger who preached 
for the first time in the Church November 8th. Mr. Blat- 
tenberger filled the pulpit again on the 15 th, the 22nd and 
the 29th of December. 

A congregational meeting was called November 25th, 
1878, in order to elect a pastor, if the way be clear. The 
Rev. George S. Mott, D. D., moderated this meeting. 
Clinton B. Blackwell, Esq., was chosen Secretary. The 
meeting decided to proceed. The Rev. J. W. P. Blat- 
tenberger of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Newark, 
N. J., was nominated. Tellers were appointed who re- 
ported, on counting the vote, that the Rev. Mr. Blatten- 
berger was unanimously elected pastor of this Church. 
It was then decided to make the salary seven hundred 
dollars yearly, to be paid semi-annually, together with the 
free use of the parsonage, while he should be the pastor 
of this Church. Mr. Blattenberger, at the time of this 
call, was a member of the Newark Conference of the M. 
E. Church and pastor of the Bergen St. Church in New- 
ark. It was therefore decided at the congregational 
meeting making the call, that "this call should be placed 



264 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

in Mr. Blattenberger's hands if he unites with the Pres- 
byterian Church; if not this call will be null and void." 

Mr. Blattenberger was received by the Presbytery of 
New Brunswick, December 15th, 1878. The call of Am- 
well First Church was tendered to Mr. Blattenberger, 
and accepted by him. Arrangements were made for his 
installation by a committee from Presbytery. The day 
named for this service was December 31st, 1878. On 
the day appointed the committee met at this Church and 
performed the duty assigned them. In this service the 
Rev. Alexander Miller, of Ringoes, presided and pro- 
posed the constitutional questions. The Rev. Peter A. 
Studdiford, D. D., of Lambertville, preached the sermon. 
The Rev. George S. Mott, D. D., gave the charge to the 
pastor, and the Rev. Cornelius Conklin, of Frenchtown, 
gave the charge to the people. The elders at this time 
were Zebulon Stout, William G. Hill, John Y. Bellis, 
Abraham J. Prall and George P. Rex. M. D. Dr. Rex 
had been appointed Clerk of the Session at a meeting held 
June 8th. 

The annual meeting of the congregation was held 
March 2nd, 1879. C. F. Quick was chosen Chairman, 
and George P. Rex. M. D., Secretary. The report of 
the Treasurer showed a deficiency of $113.74. The elec- 
tion of Trustees resulted as follows: James P. Cham- 
berlin, Lewis Sutphin, Thomas Miller, Peter Q. Hol- 
combe, Robert R. Smith, Martin J. Bellis and John 
Quick. John Quick was again elected President and 
Treasurer of the Board. 

At the annual congregational meeting held March 8th, 
1880, Zebulon Stout was elected Chairman and George 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 265 

P. Rex, M. D., Secretary. The Treasurer's report was 
presented and approved. The shortage was now but 
$41.47, and this, while the pastor's salary had been ad- 
vanced to $800, and the parsonage had been painted. The 
Board of Trustees was re-elected. At this meeting Ca- 
leb F. Quick was appointed to rent the pews, and if the 
rent on any pew was not paid, power was given him to 
rent the same to those who would pay. 

The annual meeting held March 7th, 1881, again chose 
Zebulon Stout as Chairman, and elected C. F. Quick, 
Secretary. The old Board of Trustees was once more 
re-elected, and John Quick was retained as Treasurer. 

At the congregational meeting held March 13th, 1882, 
William G. Hill was made President and H. S. Peter- 
son, Secretary. For the fourth time the same Board of 
Trustees was elected, with the same President and 
Treasurer of the Board. The healthy condition of the 
finances is shown from the fact that during these years, 
there was only a small annual deficiency in the Treasury, 
and with the co-operation of the people the Treasurer 
paid the $400 due the pastor, promptly on the first of 
April and the first of October. This year of 1882 
showed in the October payment that the money was com- 
ing in with less promptness, and at the close of the 
year the indebtedness due the Treasurer was $174.43, 
or more than three times what it had previously been 
under this pastor. 

At the meeting held March 12th, 1883, William G. Hill 
was chosen President and C. F. Quick, Secretary. In 
the election of Trustees there was a slight change. John 
B. Lowe and David Weart having been chosen in the 



266 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

place of Lewis Sutphin and Peter Q. Holcombe. A new 
committee, viz : John W. Priestly, Asher Higgins and Wil- 
liam G. Hill was appointed to rent the pews, with au- 
thority to add 25 per cent, to the last six months' pay- 
ment, in order to pay the indebtedness to the Treasurer. 

This was the year in which the Church was remod- 
eled and enlarged. But the only statement concerning 
this step recorded in the congregational book, is that the 
congregation hereby authorizes John W. Pristly, Treas- 
urer of the Building Committee, to borrow the money 
needed for the work on the Church. 

We have no means of knowing the result of the ad- 
ditional assessment on the pews, but at the close of the 
Treasurer's report "Mrs. John Quick is credited for 
subscription of $100." With this help the pastor was 
paid on time, and the books balanced, except a shortage 
of $5.47. The congregational meeting held March 17th, 
1884, had for its President John Quick, and Peter Q. 
Holcombe, Secretary. The Trustees elected were Thomas 
Miller, Martin J. Bellis, David S. Wert, James P. 
Chamberlin, John B. Lowe, Arthur Sutphin and John 
Quick. The salary was increased this year by $100. 

Martin J. Bellis was chosen Chairman and C. F. 
Quick, Secretary, of the meeting held March gth, 1885. 
The Trustees elected were Thomas Miller, David S. 
Wert, James P. Chamberlin, John B. Lowe, William 
Pierce, Theodore F. Swarer and Arthur Sutphin. The 
Board elected Theodore F. Swarer as their President and 
Treasurer. 

At this meeting of the congregation it was decided 
to pay the salary monthly, and to use the envelope sys- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 267 

tern in collecting it. These envelopes yielded to the pas- 
tor almost $1,000 in cash. This experiment proved the 
use of the envelope to be the best system for this Church, 
as it has been proved to be for many other churches, but 
it will not run itself. 

The annual meeting held March 15th, 1886, chose C. F. 
Quick, Chairman, and Peter Q. Holcombe, Secretary. 
The Board of Trustees was re-elected and Mr. Swarer 
was again made President and Treasurer of the Board. 

A special meeting of the congregation was called by 
the Session April 26th, 1886. William G. Hill was ap- 
pointed Chairman of this meeting, and C. F. Quick, Sec- 
retary. The object of the meeting was stated by the 
Chairman to be to appoint commissioners to unite with 
the pastor in asking Presbytery to dissolve the relation 
existing between himself and this Church. The action 
taken by the meeting was most complimentary to the pas- 
tor. It was expressed as follows: 

Resolved, That we are opposed to the dissolution of 
the pastoral relation existing between Rev. J. W. P. 
Blattenberger and this Church. This motion was unani- 
mously adopted. 

Secondly. It was decided to make the salary of the pas- 
tor $1,000 per annum. 

Thirdly. That we appoint as commissioners to Pres- 
bytery, to meet at Princeton to-morrow, George P. Rex, 
M. D., Caleb F. Quick and Theodore F. Swarer and 
instruct them to oppose the dissolution of the pastoral re- 
lation. In this effort the Church was successful, and Mr. 
Blattenberger remained. 

The annual meeting held March 28th, 1887, chose C. 



268 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

F. Quick as Chairman, and Peter Q. Holcombe as Sec- 
retary. The old Board of Trustees was once more re- 
elected and Mr. Swarer was again made their President 
and Treasurer. 

A special meeting of the congregation was called for 
October 3rd, 1887, which elected William G. Hill, 
Chairman, and C. F. Quick, Secretary. The pastor stated 
the object of the meeting to be to ask the congregation 
to appoint commissioners to Presbytery to-morrow at 
Dayton to unite with him in requesting a dissolution of 
the pastoral relation existing between himself and this 
Church. The congregation concurred in this request, but 
expressed their high appreciation of Mr. Blattenberger 
and regret that he was about to be separated from them. 
Elder William G. Hill and George Lunger were the ap- 
pointed commissioners to represent the congregation at 
Presbytery. 

Presbytery met October the 4th. The commissioners 
were present and concurred with the pastor in request- 
ing the dissolution of the pastoral relation between him- 
self and the Amwell First Church. Presbytery granted 
the request, and the pastoral relation was this day dis- 
solved. 

The first meeting of the Session after the installation 
of Mr. Blattenberger was held January 25th, 1879. The 
numbers received by the Session at this time show a most 
auspicious beginning of Mr. Blattenberger's pastorate. He 
entered upon the work with the new year, and with the 
observance of the Week of Prayer. This was followed 
with evangelistic services, which were continued for sev- 
eral weeks. At this first meeting of the Session the fol- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 269 

lowing persons were received into the membership of the 
Church: On certificate, Mrs. Mattie Blattenberger, from 
the Bergen St. M. E. Church, Newark. On examination, 
James P. Chamberlin, Thomas Miller, William Hill, 
Mrs. Mary Ann Hill, his wife, William F. Chamberlin, 
Arthur Sutphin, Miss Julia Sutphin, Miss Ella L. Smith, 
Leonard D. Wilson, John J. Hall, David S. Prall, John 
K. Agens, Brogun B. Van Nuys Lowe, Calvin Hoagland, 
Miss Sallie Dilts, Miss Mary E. Prall, Miss Hannah 
Prall. 

February 1st. The Session received on certificate from 
the Baptist Church at Wertsville, Mrs. Rebecca M. 
Chamberlin, wife of William F. Chamberlin and Aaron 
T. Agens from the Reformed Church of Readington. On 
examination, Mrs. Ann E. Strimple and Miss Lizzie P. 
Hill. 

March 1st. The Session met and received on certifi- 
cate, Mrs. Mary J. Fisher from the Reformed Church of 
Plainfield; Miss Anna W. Bowlby from the M. E. 
Church of Quakertown; Mr. and Mrs. John B. Lowe 
from the Reformed Church of East Millstone; George 
W. Dilts from the M. E. Church of Mt. Zion; Mrs. 
Ann Dilts from the United First Church of Amwell; 
Mr. and Mrs. Theodore F. Swarer from the M. E. 
Church of Stanton; Mr. and Mrs. Henry F. Apgar 
from the M. E. Church of Annandale; Mrs. Theo- 
dosia Hall from the Reformed Church of Three Bridges; 
Mrs. M. Elizabeth Higgins, and Mrs. Hannah M. Hoag- 
land from the Reformed Church of Clover Hill, and 
Mrs. Rachel Lowe from the Reformed Church of Ne- 
shanic. And on examination, Mrs. Ellen A. Smith, Mrs. 



270 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Sarah L. Hagaman, Mrs. Sarah M. Haines, Mrs. Sarah 
Louisa Fisher, Mrs. Lucretia H. Dilts, Isaac S. Lowe, 
William E. J. Huffman, Caleb F. Quick, Mrs. Cathar- 
ine B. Quick, his wife, Miss Fannie Quick, Jacob Hoag- 
land, John E. Hoagland and Mrs. Ellen Hoagland, Mrs. 
Ellen Hill, Mrs. Ada V. Hill, Miss Julia H. Smith, 
Miss Georgiana Dilts, Miss Kate C. Holcombe, Miss 
Mary Chamberlin, Miss Belle Hill, Miss Hannah B. 
Hockenbury, Miss Ann Rebecca Deats, Miss Cora L. 
Bowlby, Miss Mary Prall, William Boughner and Wal- 
ter M. Risender. And Sabbath morning, March 2nd, 
Miss Wilhelmina Sipler and William Dilts. 

On this Sabbath morning, March 2nd, these new mem- 
bers, 17 in all, received by letter from other churches, 
were welcomed into the fellowship of this Church, and 
47, received on examination* made a public profession of 
their faith in Christ, of which number 33 were admitted 
to the Sacrament of baptism, and the whole number to 
the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 

This ingathering belongs really to one series of meet- 
ings begun with the Week of Prayer, and constitutes the 
largest addition at any one period to the membership of 
the Church during her history. 

April 5th the Session met, and received Mrs. Rachel 
B. Boughner to the membership of the Church on certifi- 
cate, from the Reformed Church of Rocky Hill. 

May 31st. The Session received into the membership 
of the Church on certificate, Miss Abigail A. Marsh from 
the First Presbyterian Church of New Brunswick, and 
Miss Mary P. Quick from the Reformed Church at Clo- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 271 

ver Hill. And on examination, Mrs. Rachel Trimmer 
and Mrs. Elizabeth D. A. Servis. 

September 6th. The Session received, on certificate, 
from the Reformed Church of Raritan, Mrs. Kitty W. 
D., wife of David Bartron. 

December 6th. The Session received William Servis 
on certificate, from the Baptist Church of Wertsville, 
and Mrs. Emma, his wife, on examination. 

December 7th. The Session received on examination, 
David Chamberlin and Mrs. Clarinda C, his wife, and 
Miss Kate Jones. 

March 6th, 1880. The Session received on certificate 
from the Amwell United First Church, Miss Mary A. 
Wilson and Stephen A. Staats and Mrs. Martha V. Gu- 
lick, his wife, from the Reformed Church at Harlingen. 
On examination, Mrs. Fanny Griggs and Miss Sarah E. 
Van Horn. 

June 5 th. The Session received on certificate from 
Amwell United First, Jonathan E. Haines and Miss Re- 
becca Fink from the Kirkpatrick Memorial Church. 

December 4th. The Session received on certificate from 
the Reformed Church, Clover Hill, William S. Schenck 
and Mrs. Mary Young, his wife. 

March 5th, 1881. Received on certificate from Am- 
well Second Church, Mrs. Jennie Smith. Received on 
examination, Ralph Y. Smith, Mrs. Mary Ann Sipler, 
Miss Kate C. Griggs, Miss Mary J. Housel and Miss 
Sarah Agens. 

August 27th. Mrs. Emeline Laubaugh was received 
by letter from the Bethlehem M. E. Church. 

December 3rd. The Session received on examination, 



272 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Daniel R. Housel, George T. Bacon and Emma C, his 
wife. 

February 25th, 1882. The Session received on exami- 
nation, Samuel Haines. 

June 3rd. The Session received on certificate from 
the Presbyterian Church of Liberty Corner, Mrs. Jennie 
Hoagland. 

August 26th. Richard B. McPherson was received 
on certificate from the M. E. Church of Stanton, N. J. 

March 3rd, 1883. B. B. Voorhees and Marietta Pit- 
tenger, his wife, were received on certificate from the 
Reformed Church of Branchville. 

August 25th. Isaac N. and Elizabeth A. Brokaw, his 
wife, were received by letter from the First M. E. Church 
of Somerville. 

December 1st. Received on examination, Miss Kate 
R. Holcombe, Miss Bessie Smith, Miss Georgie Hol- 
combe, Miss Lydia Teaman, Miss Mattie E. McPher- 
son and Rettie R. Higgins. 

And on Sabbath morning, the 2nd, Mrs. Cora E. Wil- 
son from the St. George's M. E. Church, Philadelphia. 
And on examination, Miss Carrie E. Boyce, Miss Mag- 
gie Hunt and Miss Mary Etta Van Horn. 

December 9th. J. Jacob Kisz on certificate, from the 
Lutheran Church in Germany. On examination, Schenck 
Smith and Hannah M. Smith, his wife, Samuel Peters 
(colored), Miss Lizzie Kisz, Miss Maggie M. Kisz, 
John J. Kisz, Miss Annie E. Miller, Miss Minnie L. 
Hoagland and Alexander R. Griggs. 

January 6th, 1884. Received on examination, Miss 
Cornelia Hill, Mrs. Sarah M. Lyman (colored), Andrew 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 273 

M. Dilts, Charles M. Sipler, Jr., and Mrs. Martha T. 
Todd. And on certificate from the Baptist Church of 
Flemington, Mrs. Gertrude V. M. Peterson. 

At this time the Session decided to take measures for 
adding three more persons to their number, and also decided 
on the persons they would place in nomination. They 
appointed March 23rd as the day for this action. 

Sabbath morning, March 23rd, the Session placed in 
nomination for the office of Ruling Elder, Caleb Farlee 
Quick, Martin J. Bellis and James Prall, Chamberlin. 
The congregation was invited to place others in nomina- 
tion, if it so desired. There being no other nominations 
the vote was taken, and the persons nominated were 
unanimously elected. The persons thus elected were or- 
dained and installed to the office of Ruling Elder im- 
mediately after their election. 

May 31st. Lemuel Hoagland and Mary, his wife, 
were received by letter from the M. E. Church of Ser- 
geantville, N. J., and Dora, their daughter, was received 
on examination. 

December 7th. The Session passed a vote of thanks 
to Mrs. John Quick for her kindness in presenting to the 
Church a silver tankard for the use of the Church at the 
communion services. 

January 18th, 1885. The Session received on exami- 
nation, Miss Laura B. White, Miss Emma F. Hall and 
Miss Susie K. Cronce. 

February 28th. Frederick Dirking and Miss Cora M. 

Sutphin were received on examination to the membership 

of this Church. Mrs. Mary R. Everitt was received by 

letter from the Presbyterian Church of Flemington, and 

18 



274 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Mrs. Rhoda F. Quick from the Presbyterian Church of 
Titusville. 

At this meeting Dr. Rex handed in his resignation as 
Clerk of Session, on account of the infirmity of age, and 
Elder C. F. Quick was elected to fill his place. 

June 6th. Mrs. Martha Stothoff was received by let- 
ter from the Presbyterian Church of Flemington. 

December 5th. Mr. F. Rusham and Johanna, his wife, 
were received by letter from the M. E. Church of Flem- 
ington. 

Elder George P. Rex, who had been appointed to pre- 
pare a minute on the death of Elder Zebulon Stout, be- 
ing prevented by sickness from attending this meeting, 
sent the following resolutions which were approved by 
Session and ordered to be placed on our records, viz : 

Whereas, Zebulon Stout, the senior member of this 
Session, departed this life August nth, 1885, we, the 
surviving members of the Session, desire to place on rec- 
ord our appreciation of his character as a citizen and as 
a Christian; therefore, 

Resolved, That we express our profound sorrow at the 
death of our brother, who had lived beyond four score 
years, and "has come to the grave like a shock of corn 
cometh in his season." 

Resolved, That in Brother Stout we had a man of 
prayer, and one who, while "fervent in spirit," was dili- 
gent in doing the things his hands found to do in the 
service of the Master. In this he has left an example 
worthy of imitation by all the members of this Church. 

Resolved, That this testimonial be sent to William B. 
Stout, executor of his estate. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 275 

March 6th, 1886. The Session received, on examina- 
tion, Mrs. Robert R. Smith, Jr., into the membership of 
the Church. 

June 5th. Received by letter from the Presbyterian 
Church of Pluckemin, Frederick Powelson and Emma 
B., his wife, and Mrs. Ann R. Swietzer. At the same 
time Lemuel White and Mary F., his wife, being mem- 
bers of the German Baptist Church, but not having cer- 
tificates, were received on examination. 

March 5th, 1887. Mrs. Rose Young Prall was re- 
ceived by letter from the Baptist Church of Flemington. 

June 4th. John W. Lebler and Augusta F., his wife, 
Miss Cornelia A. Case and Frederick V. D. Durham 
were received on examination. Henry Lunger was re- 
ceived by letter from the M. E. Church at Norton, and 
Mrs. Sarah R. R. Hoffman from the Reformed Church 
at Clover Hill. 

The last meeting of Session, moderated by Mr. Blat- 
tenberger, was held October 3rd, 1887. During his pas- 
torate one hundred (100) persons were received into 
the Church on examination, and fifty-two (52) by letter 
from other churches. This large accession gives Dr. Blat- 
tenberger a distinguished place among the pastors of this 
Church. And yet, without detracting from his faithful- 
ness and genuine success, it is evident that the conditions 
then were much more favorable than they have been 
since. This is shown by the larger numbers received by 
letter, by the larger number in the Sabbath School, as well 
as the much larger number of children enrolled in the 
day school then than at the present time. 

To state this definitely while the Reaville school dis- 



276 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

trict has the same boundary lines now, as then, and with 
the same teacher in the school, Miss Anna Park, now, that 
had charge of the school at the beginning of Mr. Blat- 
tenberger's pastorate, the school enrollment then was over 
eighty, while for these last two years it has been under 
thirty. With corresponding changes in the congregation 
the enrollment of eighty-four in the Sabbath School is 
really a higher ratio to the whole than one hundred and 
fifty was at the earlier date. 

Mr. Blattenberger saw these changes coming, as he has 
stated to me, and the records themselves confirm the fact 
of their approach. 

The total membership reported the year before Mr. 
Blattenberger came was 105. With the large revival at 
the beginning of his pastorate, adding 64 in all, he was 
enabled to put the number at 146 in his first report. With 
15 additions the second year, he reported the membership 
at 156. In 1881, with eleven additions he reported 157, 
and the same number for each of the next two years, with 
five additions in 1882, and four in 1883. 

In 1884 there was the large addition of 28, and the 
membership reached 166. 

In 1885 it was 174, which is doubtless too high, as 
there were only nine additions. 

In 1886, with only one added on examination and 
three by letter, the report gives the membership as 171. 

In 1887 tne membership is reported at 165. This was 
the last report made by Mr. Blattenberger. But it is 
evident the membership was stated too high, that is the 
loss from death and removals was not accurately de- 
ducted. This is shown by the fact that the first report 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 277 

made to Presbytery after Mr. Blattenberger left, gives 
the membership of the Church as 123. These figures are 
given to show how changeable this Church has been even 
in its most prosperous days. 

There is another very important fact in this pastorate 
which reflects great credit, both upon the pastor and the 
people. The people saw that the Church was needing 
repairs. The question then arose, "shall we simply repair, 
or shall we enlarge and repair." Subscription papers were 
circulated with this question before the people. This was 
early in 1883, or perhaps in 1882. The subscriptions 
were on so liberal a scale that more money was sub- 
scribed than needed for repairs. This was understood to 
be the expression on part of the people of their wish to 
enlarge. This measure was decided on by the Trustees, 
and the work commenced. It consisted in raising the 
Church and putting in our very comfortable basement 
room, with session room and kitchen. Also lengthening 
the main building so as to add one window on each 
side at the north, and putting in the recess for the pul- 
pit. The whole was frescoed and fitted with heaters, 
and the building painted and thoroughly renewed. As a 
result we have a very pleasant audience room, duly pro- 
portioned and suitably furnished. Besides this our base- 
ment is a convenience of the utmost importance, and sur- 
passing any provision for its purpose among our neigh- 
boring churches. 

The whole cost of this improvement was about $5,000. 
Three-fourths of this money was raised the first year. 
The debt remaining to the next year was $1,400. After 
a little consultation between a few members of the con- 



278 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

gregation and the pastor, it was decided to present the 
matter one Sabbath at the close of the morning service. 
After a statement of the subject by the pastor, and the 
encouragement he was authorized to give, that if the con- 
gregation would take hold of it so as to wipe out the debt, 
two or three large subscriptions were ready to be named, 
such as $500 from Mr. J. W. Priestly, who had previously 
given $500, and two or three subscriptions of $200 would 
also be made, Mr. Blattenberger then and there called 
for subscriptions asking who would give $200, $100, $75, 
$50, $25, $15 and $io.The response was such that the whole 
amount was pledged before the congregation adjourned. 
I here name Mr. Priestly, and I presume with the ap- 
proval of all. I would name the others if I had the list. 

It is all the more commendable, both to pastor and 
people, to find that while this large amount was con- 
tributed by the congregation for its own purposes, the ob- 
jects of Christian beneficence were receiving, from year to 
year, increased support. To illustrate, in 1884, the year 
in which the debt for enlarging the Church was cancelled, 
the Church raised for Home Missions $44, and for For- 
eign Missions $78. The largest amount, up to this date, 
contributed by the Church in any one year for these ob- 
jects. In the following year the amount for Foreign 
Missions reached $100. This is the index of a healthy 
condition of the Church. 

I submit, as I have done in case of other pastorates, a 
more complete statement of the financial and benevolent 
work of the Church for this period, as an important part 
of the Church's history. 

In April, 1879, the report for the year in which Mr. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 279 



Beekman left, and that in which Mr. Blattenberger set- 
tled, nearly always a poor year for benevolent work, the 
church gave to Home Missions $7.15, to Foreign Mis- 
sions $8.70. While to all the Boards of the Church, in- 
cluding the assessment for Presbyterial and General As- 
sembly expenses, only $42.50, and to miscellaneous causes 
$82.65. This largely to the Hunterdon County Bible So- 
ciety, or a total for beneficence $135. To tabulate the 
results of this pastorate we have: 





For the 




Total 


Congre- 




Boards. . 


Miscellaneous. 


Beneficence. 


gational. 


1879 ... 


$42 50 


$82 65 


$135 15 


$1,330 


1880 . . . 


Il8 22 


27 OO 


145 OO 


1,574 


1881 ... 


I44 92 


25 00 


169 92 


1,495 


1882 ... 


147 20 


69 00 


216 20 


1,402 


1883 .. 


I44 99 


41 OO 


185 99 


5,150 


1884 . . 


I70 99 


10 00 


180 99 


2,873 


1885 .. 


197 77 


16 00 


213 77 


1,338 


1886 .. 


185 40 


16 00 


201 40 


1,420 


1887 .. 


147 81 


9 00 


156 81 


1,500 



$1,299 80 $295 65 $1,605 23 $18,082 

This is a very good showing for these nine years of 
the Church's history. 

Of Dr. Blattenberger personally we know less than we 
should be glad to know. Like the wise man that he is, 
he has not put his age on public record. He was grad- 
uated, however, in college and theological departments 
of Drew Seminary in 1873. When called November 
25th, 1878, to become pastor of this Church, it was from 



280 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

the pastorate of the Bergen Street Methodist Episcopal 
Church in the City of Newark. He was installed over 
Amwell First Church, December 31st, 1878. The pas- 
toral relation was dissolved October 4th, 1887, making 
his pastorate here a little less than nine years. 

Near the close of his pastorate here he received a call 
to the Presbyterian Church at Bridesburg, Pa. He con- 
tinues in the pastorate of that church at the present time, 
1899. In the meanwhile he has received calls to other 
churches, but has seen fit to decline them. His pastorate at 
Bridesburg has been characterized with great activity and 
with yearly additions to the membership of the Church, the 
number ranging from ten to thirty on examination. But 
in no one year so large a number as came into this Church 
the first year of his pastorate here. The Church of 
Bridesburg had in 1888, the time of Dr. Blattenberger's 
first report, 250 members, or about 100 more than this 
Church. Some years it has reported less, but generally 
more. The last report states the membership at 317. His 
address before the Woman's Home and Foreign Mission- 
ary Societies at the time of our one hundred and sixtieth 
anniversary, showed that his bow abides in strength, and 
that his zeal for the extension of the Master's Kingdom 
over the earth is still intense and impelling. You, as a 
church owe thanks to your Divine Lord for the ministry 
of such a man among you. 

Dr. Blattenberger continued to minister to the Church 
at Bridesburg with untiring devotion until September, 
1905, when he suffered a stroke of paralysis. He re- 
mained pastor of the Church until June 16, 1906, when 
he was called to his heavenly home by the Master, whom 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 281 

he loved to serve. He was in the nineteenth year of his 
pastorate when his death occurred. The Presbytery (Phil- 
adelphia North) at the time of his death, expressed a high 
appreciation of his faithfulness as a minister of the Gos- 
pel, and its deep sympathy with his family and the Church 
of which he was the honored pastor. 

APPENDIX NO. I ELDER JOHN Y. BELLIS. 

The death of Elder Bellis occurred on the nth of 
March, 1888, and only a few weeks before the call of 
Rev. Thomas C. Potter to be your pastor. Because it 
was in the interval between pastors is perhaps the rea- 
son that no memorial of his service to the Church is to 
be found in the minutes of the Church. 

Although I did not have the privilege of a personal 
acquaintance with Elder Bellis, I have learned so much 
of his service to this Church, that I cannot omit his name 
and a record of his service from the pages of this his- 
tory. Elder Bellis belonged to one of the old families 
which in Colonial times settled in the Amwell Valley. 

The ancestors of Elder Bellis came from Germany 
and from the first were identified with the German or 
Old Stone Church at the Corner. This is our nearest 
neighbor to the West. When the German Church be- 
came Presbyteryian in 18 10, and formed an organic 
union with our Church, under the corporate name of the 
United First Presbyterian Church in Amwell, under the 
pastorate of Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick, the family was a 
part of this congregation. The original name was 
Boellesfelt. The first of the name was Johann Adam 1 
Boellesfelt, who came to America, previous to 1740, 



282 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

shown by the fact that a son was born in Am well that 
year. The family came from Neuwid, in Rhenish 
Prussia. Johann was born in 1710, and died 1761. He 
located near Copper Hill. He assisted in building the 
Old Stone German Church in 1749. His oldest son 
was Wilhelm 2 , born December 18th, 1840. We men- 
tion only his son William 3 , born December 15th, 1776, 
and Mathias 3 , grandfather of Theodore Bellis, to whom 
we are indebted for this family history. Another grand- 
son of William 3 , is William 5 Bellis, who is an Elder in 
the Old Stone Church, or rather its successor, the Am- 
well United First Church. 

A son of William 3 , was John Y. Bellis 4 , the subject 
of this article. He was one of our Elders in the Am- 
well First. He was born January 2nd, 1809. He and 
Elizabeth Ann Brewer were united in marriage Janu- 
ary 19th, 1837. He was chosen to preside over the Con- 
gregational meeting in 1871. He frequently served the 
Church as trustee. He united with the Church on ex- 
amination in 1846, Rev. Benjamin Carrell being pastor. 
He was ordained to the office of Ruling Elder April 
27, 1872, under Rev. John H. Scofield, pastor. 
I requested Elder C. F. Quick to give me his estimate 
of Elder Bellis, as a man and an officer. He wrote me 
that "Elder Bellis was a man of peaceable disposition, 
and irreproachable character. He was slow in forming 
an opinion, but firm when once he had come to a deci- 
sion. He was faithful in the discharge of the duties of 
his office, and liberal in supporting the Church, and con- 
tributing to her objects of beneficence." He departed 
this life March nth, 1888. During the later years of 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 283 

his life, it was his privilege to see his son, Martin 5 , Jr., 
chosen to the same office with himself. This son of his, 
was one of the Elders of the Church, during my pas- 
torate. In this office he, Martin, Jr., served the Church 
with a faithfulness I have never seen surpassed. A simi- 
lar statement may be made concerning his cousin, Wil- 
liam 5 , above mentioned, of his faithfulness to the United 
First Church. He is the fifth in the line of descent of 
this family to hold this office in that Church. A rare 
history truly of a family serving two neighboring 
churches in the Eldership. 

THE SIXTEENTH PASTOR, REV. THOMAS CHALMERS POTTER, 
l888— 1889. 

At the annual meeting of the Congregation held 
March 27th, 1888, William G. Hill was made Chair- 
man, and Barton Huffman Secretary. It was decided 
at this meeting that the old Board of Trustees should 
be re-elected. This was followed by choosing Theodore 
F. Swarer as President of the Board. On the same day 
a unanimous call was given to Rev. George Scarlet to 
become pastor of this Church. This call he subsequently 
declined. 

This date of March 27th, 1888, is the first, in which 
there is any record of employing an organist, at a fixed 
salary. A Committee was appointed, consisting of 
Thomas Miller and William Pierce to wait on Mrs. Pe- 
terson, to ascertain if she would continue to act as or- 
ganist. The Committee reported before the meeting 
adjourned that they had secured her agreement to ren- 
der this service for $80 per annum, and the privilege of 



284 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

giving a concert in the Church. This matter is men- 
tioned with no reflection on the requirement of a salary 
for this service, but as a matter of history, and to ex- 
press the appreciation of the Church to those members 
of the Congregation who for years rendered this service 
gratuitously. 

The session called a meeting of the congregation again 
May 14th, 1888, in order, if the way was clear, to call 
a pastor. 

The Rev. George S. Mott, D. D., moderated this meet- 
ing. Barton Huffman was appointed Secretary. 

The Rev. Thomas Chalmers Potter was nominated 
and unanimously elected to the pastorate of this Church. 
The salary promised Mr. Potter was $800 per annum, 
to be paid in two equal payments, together with the free 
use of the parsonage and three weeks' vacation. 

At the close of the preparatory service held June 2nd, 
Mr. Potter being present, was invited to act as modera- 
tor of the Session. 

Mr. Potter signified his willingness, at this time, to 
accept the call of the congregation. 

Dr. George P. Rex, and Elder A. J. Prall were ap- 
pointed commissioners to prosecute this call before Pres- 
bytery, to be held at Titusville, June the 26th. 

Mrs. Rebecca Case, wife of Winfield Case, was received 
at this meeting of the Session, on examination into the 
membership of the Church. 

Mr. Frederick Powelson and his wife, Emma Powel- 
son, were dismissed to the Second Reformed Church of 
Somerville, N. J. Also Mrs. Anna Sweitzer to the 
same Church. Mr. David S. Prall and his wife, Rosa, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 285 

to the Congregational Church of Albion, Nebraska. 
Mrs. Susie Hoagland nee Cronce to the Reformed 
Church of East Millstone, N. J. 

The Commissioners appeared before Presbytery June 
26th, at Titusville, and laid the call before Presbytery. 
Presbytery placed the call in the hands of Mr. Potter, 
which was accepted by him. Arrangements were then 
made for his installation. July 17th was the day named 
for this service. The Committee of Presbytery, being 
present, performed the respective duties assigned them. 

In this service Rev. Samuel M. Studdiford, D. D., 
of the Third Church, Trenton, preached the sermon, 
presided, and proposed the constitutional questions. The 
Rev. Wm. H. Wolverton, of the Second Church of 
Trenton, gave the charge to the pastor, and the Rev. J. 
P. W. Blattenberger, of Bridesburg, Pa., on invitation, 
gave the charge to the people. The Elders of the 
Church at this time were William G. Hill, James P. 
Chamberlin, Abraham J. Prall, Martin J. Bellis, Caleb F. 
Quick and George P. Rex, M. D. 

The firsjt meeting of Session, after the installation of 
Mr. Potter, was held September 2nd, 1888. At this time 
Mr. Jonathan T. Conover was received on examination, 
and Mrs. Elizabeth M. Potter, Mrs. Lizzie Higgins, and 
Mrs. Isaac Wyckoff, by letter. 

December 1st, 1888, Mr. and Mrs. George H. Hors- 
fall were received by letter from the Presbyterian Church 
of New Vernon, N. J., and Mr. Asher Higgins, Charles 
F. Creveling, M. D., and Malvina Baird (colored) were 
received on examination. The Session convened March 
2nd, 1889, and received on examination Messrs. Alvin 



286 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Hill, Lewis C. Sutphin and John V. M. Wyckoff, Mrs. 
Mary E. Carkhuff, Mrs. N. M. Resch; also the Misses 
Anna M. Williamson, Hannah R. Swarer and Hannah 
E. Hoagland; and by letter from the Kirkpatrick 
Memorial Church, Mr. John C. Williamson. 

This closed the first year of Mr. Potter's pastorate, 
which proved to be one of prosperity for the Church. He 
had one thing of great advantage both to himself and 
the Church, which was a goodly number of young peo- 
ple in the congregation at the time, ready to be gathered 
in. The like of it has not existed since. But it is great- 
ly to his credit that he succeeded in winning these 
for the Church and the Master. In all, the additions 
for this first year numbered thirteen, as received on ex- 
amination, and six by certificate, which is exactly the num- 
ber dismissed to other churches. 

In the minute for June 1st, 1889, it is stated: that it 
was decided to conform to the usual custom, and dis- 
continue the evening service of the Church during the 
busy season. 

November 24th, 1889, the pastor gave notice of his 
intention to resign the pastorate of the Church, that he 
might accept a call to the Presbyterian Church at Cedar 
Falls, Iowa. This call, he stated, had been made two 
months previous, and had been declined. It was re- 
newed, and he had decided to accept it. 

A meeting of the Congregation was called by the Ses- 
sion to be held November 25th. At this meeting William 
G. Hill was made Chairman, and C. F. Quick Secretary. 
At this meeting it was decided to accede to the pastor's 
request, and unite with him in asking Presbytery to dis- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 287 

solve the relation between himself and the Amwell First 
Church, to take effect December 22nd. 

The commissioners appointed to represent the Church 
at the meeting of Presbytery were Elders Wm. G. Hill 
and Martin J. Bellis, and Trustee Theodore F. Swarer. 

It was not until November 30th, 1889, that there were 
any additions to the Church, during the second year of 
Mr. Potter's pastorate. At this time the Session re- 
ceived on examination to the membership of the Church 
Miss Mary Hoffman, Miss Laura E. Dilts, Miss Mary L. 
Dilts, Johnson B. Pierce, William L. Van Syckle and 
Robert M. Conover. This was the last meeting of Ses- 
sion of which Mr. Potter was Moderator. 

Mr. Potter's pastorate closed by action of Presbytery, 
December 22nd, 1889, having continued one year and 
six months, or dating from the time he signified his ac- 
ceptance of your call, at which time he moderated the 
meeting of Session on invitation, when one person was 
received into the membership of the Church, its dura- 
tion was one year and seven months. This is the short- 
est pastorate in the history of the Church. But though 
brief, it was characterized by marked prosperity in the 
Church, and in this short period he impressed the Church 
with his faithfulness, and he and his excellent wife 
greatly endeared themselves to the people of the con- 
gregation. 

To Mr. Potter belongs the credit of having organized 
the Christian Endeavor Society, which under the inspira- 
tion of his leadership and with the goodly number of 
young people at the time in the Church, became a great 
blessing to the Church. 



288 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Mr. Potter was also faithful in promoting the cause 
of benevolence, so that creditable contributions were 
made to all the Boards of the Church. 

The statistics of the Church for the first year are as 
follows: Received on examination thirteen; and the 
second year six, and six by letter, making twenty-five in 
all. Total membership one hundred and forty-seven. 
There were six Elders and five Deacons. Sabbath School 
members one hundred. 

The contributions to the Boards of the Church for 
the first year were $201, of which $72 were for For- 
eign Missions. To General Assembly $12, and Mis- 
cellaneous Causes, the unusual sum of $206, making a 
total of $419 to causes of benevolence. The salary was 
$800, and for other expenses of the Church, $700 were 
contributed. 

The second year is only partly covered by his pastor- 
ate. The total contributions for the year are: to the 
Boards $157, of which $53 were for Foreign Missions; 
$15 for General Assembly, and $20 to Miscellaneous 
Causes. Or to outside causes $177, and for Congrega- 
tional expenses $1420. 

Mr. Potter, in making request for the dissolution of 
the pastoral relation, gratefully acknowledged the uni- 
form kindness shown him by the congregation. The 
Church recriprocated by expressing their deep regret that 
he was about to leave them. 

At a meeting of the Session held November 30th, the 
( ommissioners were instructed to ask permission of Pres- 
bytery to supply their own pulpit until the next stated 
meeting of the same. Also to request Presbytery to ap- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820 1900 289 

point Rev. Charles W. Pitcher, pastor of the Kirkpatrick 
Memorial Church, to act as Moderator of the Session 
for the same period. 

Following the record of Mr. Potter's pastorate a few- 
facts of his personal history will be of interest to this 
congregation. 

Mr. Potter's father was Rev. L. D. Potter, D. D., 
born at New Providence, New Jersey, and at the time 
Mr. Potter was with you and long afterwards Dr. 
Potter, the father, was President of Glendale Female 
College, Glendale, Ohio, over which institution he pre- 
sided over forty years. The mother of Rev. Thomas 
Chalmers Potter was Henrietta M. Ketcham, of Penn- 
ington, N. J. Mr. Potter, Sr., graduated at Princeton 
College in 1841, having as classmates Drs. Duffield, Cuy- 
ler and Schenck. He graduated from Princeton Theo- 
logical Seminary in 1844. 

Rev. Thomas C. Potter was born at Dunlapsville, In- 
diana. 

He prepared for College at South Salem, Ohio, and 
graduated at Hanover College, Indiana, in 1874, and 
was a post-graduate of Princeton College in 1877, in the 
department of Philosophy. He graduated at Princeton 
Theological Seminary in 1880. He married Miss Eliz- 
abeth H. McMullin, at Circleville, Ohio, in April, 
1 88 1. Her father was Rev. S. H. McMullin, D. D., 
professor of Greek at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, 
and afterward a professor in the Danville Theological 
Seminary, Kentucky. 

The pastorates held by Mr. Potter up to the time of 

the anniversary exercises of the Church were Denison, 
19 



290 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Iowa, Reaville, New Jersey, and Cedar Falls, Iowa. 
Losing his hearing, he retired from the pastorate for a 
while. At present (the time of revising this history) he 
is pastor of the Presbyteryian Church at Glasgow, Dela- 
ware. During his pastorate at Glasgow, he has been a 
very frequent contributor to the Presbyterian of Phila- 
delphia. In his last communication to me, which re- 
lated to this history, he repeated his expression of his 
pleasant memories of the uniform kindness of this con- 
gregation to himself and Mrs. Potter, and I personally 
know that this feeling continues to be reciprocated. 

APPENDIX NO. I — ELDER GEORGE P. REX, M. D. 

The death of Elder Dr. George P. Rex occurred July 
1 2th, 1889, and only three months before Rev. Thomas 
C. Potter was released from the pastorate of this Church. 
By an oversight or neglect on the part of the Session, 
no record was made of his death in the minutes. 

This is regretted by myself, because, as in the case 
of Elder Bellis, I had no personal acquaintance with 
Dr. Rex. But notwithstanding the disadvantages under 
which I write, Dr. Rex's services were too important to 
this Church for me to allow his name, and some men- 
tion of what he did in behalf of the Church to be omit- 
ted from this history. 

George P. Rex was born in Philadelphia, September 
2nd, 18 1 3. After leaving a Classical School in Phila- 
delphia, he placed himself under the instruction of Dr. 
George McClellan, father of Gen. George B. McClel- 
lan, as a medical student, and soon after entered Jefferson 
Medical College, from which he graduated in 1834, be- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1900 291 

ing, as you will see, not quite twenty-one years of age. 
In that same year Dr. Rex settled in Clover Hill, and 
began the practice of Medicine. In 1836 he married 
Gertrude V., daughter of Jacob Williamson, Esq. In 
1837 he moved to Reaville, or Greenville, as it then 
was called, where he remained until 1856. During this 
period of nineteen years, his skill and faithfulness se- 
cured for him a large practice, and won for him the es- 
teem of the medical profession of the county, of whose 
organization he became a member as early as May 3rd, 
1836, and was made its Treasurer in 1850, and one of 
the board of censors from 1848 to 1853. 

"Dr. Rex, and his wife," so stands the record, "pre- 
sented themselves before the Session of this Church Sep- 
tember 6th, 1838, and were received into the fellowship 
of this church on profession of their faith in Christ." 
The pastor at the time was the Rev. David Hull. Mrs. 
Rex being still with us, she heads the list of the living 
members of this church, and precedes the next living 
member by a period of eight years. She has now en- 
tered upon the sixty-third year of her Church mem- 
bership, though it should be added, that for a portion 
of this time she has lived in other communities, and held 
membership in other churches. 

March 10th, 1838, Dr. Rex was made a member of 
the "Committee appointed to solicit subscriptions for 
erecting a new meeting house, which was to be located 
at or near Greenville. It was subsequently decided to 
build by contract, and the Committee to contract for 
the building was appointed August 18th, 1838, consist- 
ing of John Hagaman, George F. Wilson, Gideon Quick, 



292 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Jacob W. Schenck and George P. Rex. At the same 
time a Committee of three was appointed to revise and 
file all the proceedings of this congregation regarding the 
erection of the Church, John Hagaman, Peter P. Quick 
and George P. Rex were the Committee thus appointed. 
This Committee had the disposal of the Old Meeting 
House, and was the Building Committee of the new. 
Dr. Rex was at the same time a member of the Board 
of Trustees, and the whole proceedings concerning the 
building of the New Church were recorded by him. 
Thus early in life, he became intimately identified with 
the interests of this Church. 

In 1856 he removed to Perry, 111. While there he be- 
came identified with the educational interests of the 
State. In 1861 he entered the service of the Government 
as Surgeon of the 33 rd Illinois Infantry, and served 
throughout the conflict as Division Surgeon and Medi- 
cal Director. After the war, he resided in Selma, Ala- 
bama, where he held positions of great responsibility un- 
der Government appointment during the presidency of 
General Grant. 

We have to do, however, with his connection with this 
Church, rather than in other departments of usefulness. 
In 1 87 1, his health failing, he returned to Reaville, where 
he resumed his connection with this Church, October 
14th, 1 87 1, by certificate from Presbyterian Church of 
Selma, Alabama, as well as the practice of medicine. 

April 27th, 1872, he was ordained to the office of 
Ruling Elder, together with John Y. Bellis and Abra- 
ham J. Prall, during the pastorate of Rev. John H. 
Scofield. Dr. Rex was chosen Clerk of the Session Feb- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 293 

ruary 28th, 1874, and the minutes of the Session were 
written by him for many years. February 28th, 1885, 
Dr. Rex, "on account of increasing years and imfirmity," 
handed in his resignation as Clerk of Session. His last 
meeting with the Session was March 1st, 1884. But on 
the 5 th of September, 1885, he was requested to prepare 
a minute on the death of Elder Zebulon Stout. He 
complied with this request, but being too feeble to at- 
tend the Session, December 5th, 1885, he sent in the 
minute, containing expressions of high appreciation for 
the Christian character of Brother Stout, and deep sor- 
row on account of his death. This appears to have been 
the last service he performed for the Session. Dr. Rex 
had the honor of being chosen President of the Hunter- 
don County Bible Society, August 15th, 1876, to preside 
over its meeting the following year. 

Dr. Rex departed this life July 12th, 1889, having 
been a member of this or some other Church for upwards 
of fifty-one years, and a Ruling Elder upwards of seven- 
teen year. Honorable as such a record is, I am per- 
suaded that the most beneficent and lasting service which 
he rendered the Church and the Master, was either as 
teacher in, or Superintendent of the Sabbath School. It 
is deeply to be regretted that the records of our Sabbath 
School, except for a few recent years, are not to be 
found. For this reason we cannot State with accuracy, 
the years of service he rendered our School, but it is 
known that he was thus actively engaged for many years 
before leaving for the west, and again after his return 
in 1 87 1. From that date, up to the time he was en- 



294 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

feebled by age, I believe he was the Superintendent of 
the School. 

After such a career, we may with propriety close this 
tribute by quoting a sentence from a local paper, pub- 
lished at the time of the Doctor's death. It is this: 
"After a long and useful life, Dr. George P. Rex goes 
down to the grave, leaving behind him the memory of 
an honored career, and a record that is bright with good 
deeds." 

THE SEVENTEENTH PASTOR, REV. JOHN R. KUGLER, 
189O I9OO. 

After the resignation of Mr. Potter, the Church was 
without a pastor from December 22nd, 1889, to April 
1st, 1890. when I took charge of the Church as pastor- 
elect. During the interval between pastors, the usual 
method of supplies and candidates was adopted for fill- 
ing the pulpit, the supply most frequently called upon was 
my college professor,, Rev. Henry C. Cameron, D. D., of 
Princeton. Among the candidates were Rev. Theo. E. 
Montgomery, and myself, at the time pastor of the First 
Presbyterian Church of Hoboken, X. J. I first occupied the 
pulpit January 12th, 1890. By order of the Session, a 
congregational meeting was held February 4th, 1890, for 
the purpose, if the way be clear, of calling a pastor. At 
this meeting the Rev. Charles \V. Pitcher of the Kirk- 
patrick Memorial Church, being Moderator of the Ses- 
sion, presided. Theodore F. Swarer was chosen Secre- 
tary. The only nomination made was myself, and the 
nomination was followed by a unanimous vote to the 
pastorate of the Church. The call thus made named 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 18201900 295 

$800 as the salary to be paid semi-annually, together 
with the free use of the parsonage during my pastorate, 
and a yearly vacation of three weeks. The call was thus 
made out and signed as directed by the congregation, by 

William G. Hill, 
Caleb F. Quick, 

Eders. 
John E. Holcombe, 
Lewis Sutphin, 

Deacons. 
John B. Lowe, 
Theodore F. Swarer, 

Trustees. 

Elders Hill and Quick were appointed Commissioners 
to prosecute the call before Presbytery. 

On being officially notified of the call, I expressed will- 
ingness to accept it. 

The Rev. T. E. Montgomery supplied the pulpit 
March 1st. At this date, on invitation of Session, he 
acted as Moderator of the same, at which time Eugene 
Latourette was received, on examination to the mem- 
bership of the Church. On invitation I occupied the 
pulpit March 16th, and took charge of the Church from 
April 1st as pastor-elect. The Presbytery of New Bruns- 
wick, in session at the Third Church Trenton, April 
8th, received me on letter from the Presbytery of Jer- 
sey City, and on examination as to my reception of the 
standards of the Church. At this time the Presbytery 
placed in my hands the call from the Amwell First 
Church, which being accepted by me, arrangements were 



296 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

made for my installation. This was ordered to take 
place May the 27th, 1890, and the following persons 
were appointed to perform the service: The Moderator 
of Session, Rev. Charles W. Pitcher, to preside and pro- 
pose the constitutional questions; the Rev. George S. 
Mott, D. D., of Flemington, to preach the sermon; Rev. 
William M. Wells, of Amwell United First, to give the 
charge to the pastor, and Rev. William W. Wolverton, 
of the Second Church of Trenton, to give the charge 
to the people. On the day appointed, the Committee 
performed the duty assigned, except that the Rev. George 
Ingram, of Trenton Fifth, as alternate, gave the charge 
to the people. The day was auspicious, the audience 
large, and the service full of interest to all. 

The first meeting of Session after my installation was 
held May 31st. At this meeting all the Elders were 
present, viz: Caleb F. Quick, William G. Hill, Abra- 
ham J. Prall, James P. Chamberlin and Martin J. Bel- 
lis. At this time the following persons presented them- 
selves before Session, and after examination, were re- 
ceived into the membership of the Church, viz: Alfred 
Reasinger, Ira Hill, Joseph Higgins, Bessie Hill, Lena 
Wyckoff and Jennie V. C. Staats. The following day, 
June 1st, these persons made a public profession of their 
faith and promise of new obedience, and baptism was ad- 
ministered to all except Miss Staats, who had received 
this rite in infancy. 

The pastor's wife, Mrs. Annie Cramer Kugler, was 
received by letter from the Presbyterian Church of Ho- 
boken, on Saturday. At the same time Elder Martin J. 
Bellis reported that Mrs. Margaret, wife of Jacob Case, of 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 297 

Three Bridges, who had long been confined to her home 
by sickness, was desirous of being received into the mem- 
bership of the Church, whereupon, the Session decided to 
meet with her at her home on Sabbath afternoon, and 
if the way be clear, receive her to the Church and the 
Sacrament of the Lord's supper. At the time designated, 
the Session, with members of their families, met with 
Mrs. Case, and after examination admitted her to 
Church membership, and the sacrament of the Lord's 
supper being duly administered for her especial benefit. 

Annie Higgins Case, daughter of Mrs. Margaret Case, 
being unable to meet with the Session on Saturday, was 
received Sabbath morning, June 1st, and the Sacrament 
of baptism was administered to her along with others 
received on Saturday. At a meeting of Session held 
December 6th, 1890, the pastor laid before the Session the 
cause of Foreign Missions. The members of Session 
were urged to give this great cause prayerful considera- 
tion, and appealed to them to increase their own gifts to 
this and the other causes of beneficence, and likewise to make 
an effort to enlist the co-operation of the members of the 
Church to take a deeper interest in the causes represented 
by the various Boards of the Church. 

This action is deserving of mention here at the begin- 
ning of my pastorate, because I had decided to lay stress 
on this department of usefulness and growth during my 
pastorate. In this endeavor I had the most cordial and 
constant co-operation of Mrs. Kugler. And the records 
show that what growth in beneficence was secured by 
the Church, was rather with the Christian women of 
the Church, in and through their missionary societies, 



298 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

than by the whole Church as a part of its organic work. 
And here, it was rather by securing a larger number of 
contributors, than by larger contributions from any indi- 
vidual members. At the same meeting of Session, it 
was decided to observe the Week of Prayer by the 
Church, and to follow this service with evangelistic ser- 
vices. 

The regular quarterly meeting of Session was held 
February 28th, previous to preparatory service. To 
avoid lengthening this history, already much longer than 
designed, the following meetings of Session will be 
stated with less detail of organization, than has been 
given under the preceding pastorates. At the meeting of 
Session Robert Boyd and Elizabeth P., his wife, was re- 
ceived by letter from the Reformed Church of Clover 
Hill. At the same time Mrs. Josephine, wife of Henry 
Daniels, Miss Florence A. Boyd and Howard C. Sutphin 
were admitted to Church membership on examination. 

George H. Hoesfall and wife were at their own re- 
quest dismissed to the Presbyterian Church of Franklin, 
Pa. 

As the result of the effort for increased beneficence our 
first report to Presbytery showed a total of $244 for the 
work of the various Boards of the Church, of which 
$112 was for Foreign Missions. Of this sum the Wo- 
men's Society contributed $75. While the money they 
raised for the Home Board, was divided, so as to aid 
the Church in making up its allotment for Synodical 
Home Missions. The other Boards were all aided. The 
Congregational expenses were for salary $800, and in- 
cidentals $401. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 299 

The total membership reported was 157, which was 
greater than the number on the grounds. Received dur- 
ing the first year, 11 on examination and three by letter; 
and two were dismissed by letter to other churches. 

June 6th, 1891, Session received Cornelius Miller and 
Mary Whitenack, his wife, by letter, from the Reformed 
Church of Three Bridges, and at the same time dismissed 
Mrs. Abbie G. WyckofE and John, her son, to the Re- 
formed Church of Raritan, and Mrs. Mary Prall Phillips 
to the Amwell Second Church. The pastor reminded 
the Session of the fact that at the Congregational meet- 
ing March 30, he had obtained leave of absence for four 
or five months, that he and Mrs. Kugler might visit 
Europe. This was asked and granted on condition that 
he supply the pulpit at his own expense during his ab- 
sence, excepting for the three weeks granted for his 
vacation. He now informed the Session that he had 
engaged for this service the Rev. Alexander McWil- 
liam of the Reformed Church, residing at Somerville, 
and at present without charge. The selection met with 
the approval of Session. The first meeting of Session 
after this period of absence was held December 5th, at 
which time Charles H. Snook (colored) was received 
on examination to Church membership; and by letter 
Session received from the Reformed Church of Queens, 
L. I., John L. Burke, and Sarah, his wife, and Pearl, 
their daughter; also Morris W. Robinson and Lizzie J. 
Stiger, his wife. 

The pastor reminded Session of the death of Elder 
Wm. G. Hill, which had occurred during his absence in 
Europe. The pastor and Elder Quick were appointed a 



300 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

Committee to bring in a minute in the near future, on 
the death* of Mr. Hill. 

Sabbath morning Elmer White was admitted, after 
examination, to Church membership. Both he and 
Charles Snook received baptism previous to the adminis- 
tration of the Lord's supper. 

January 31st, 1892, a letter of dismission was given 
to Jonathan T. Conover to the First Presbyterian Church 
of Washington, N. J. March 5th Charles T. Hocken- 
bury, Ellen Cora Young and James Woodburn Wilson 
were received on examination to the membership of this 
Church. At their public profession, Sabbath morning, 
Mr. Hockenbury and Miss Young received the rite of 
baptism. 

Mrs. Sarah Catherine Hill, wife of Lewis Huff, was 
received on certificate from the Reformed Church at 
Clover Hill, and Mrs. Anna Munson, wife of Wood- 
burn Wilson, from the Reformed Church of Three 
Bridges. 

The Committee appointed to bring in a minute on the 
death of Elder Hill reported at this meeting, substan- 
tially, as follows: 1 

Resolved, That in the death of Elder Wm. G. Hill, 
which took place August 21st, 1891, this Church has 
lost a most worthy member and faithful office-bearer. 
This faithfulness was shown during the entire period of 
his official life, extending over more than twenty-one 
years, from March 20th, 1870, to the date of his death. 

Second. We regarded him as a man wise in counsel, 
strong in faith, with an exalted sense of the responsibil- 
ity of his office and unswerving in his devotion to duty. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 301 

(As illustration: See his action in refusing to put a 
motion when out of order, in case of Rev. Beekman). 

Third. We, the surviving members of Session, have 
been deeply impressed by the sincerity of his piety, shown by 
his zeal for the Church and the Master. We shall deeply 
miss his godly example and encouraging presence. 

The report was adopted. 

Closing the second year we reported to General As- 
sembly, a small increase in membership and also in the 
sum paid for congregational expenses, caused chiefly by 
putting a new furnace in the parsonage, which was 
granted when the pastor and his wife agreed to pay fifty 
dollars on the same; fifty-seven was the sum paid by 
them. It is regretted that there was a small decrease 
in the beneficence of the Church as compared with the 
previous year. At the beginning of our third year with 
the Church the Session granted, April 4th, 1892, the fol- 
lowing letters: to Theodore F. Swarer, dismissing him 
to the Presbyterian Church of Clinton, N. J.; to Joseph 
S. Higgins and Lizzie, his wife, to the Reformed Church 
of Branchville, N. J.; May 25th, to Miss Hannah 
Swarer to the Presbyterian Church of Clinton, and to 
the Misses Caroline V. D. and Catherine Case to the 
Presbyterian Church of Flemington. 

June 4th, Session received on examination Augustus 
Lebler and Augusta, his wife, and on certificate, Mrs. 
Mary Elizabeth Kane from the First Presbyterian 
Church of Roselle, and June 5th, Mrs. V. D. S. Hill, wife 
of Horace Herder, from the Presbyterian Church of 
Pennington. July 24th a letter was granted Mrs. Mary 



302 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

L. Karkuff, wife of Jacob, dismissing her to the Re- 
formed Church of Annandale, N. J. 

September 3rd, Robert R. Smith was received on ex- 
amination to Church membership. September nth, the 
Session convened at the residence of Mrs. Low, and sit- 
ting at the bedside of her very sick grandson, received 
him, on examination, into the Church and to both Sac- 
raments, which w r ere then administered. 

November 2nd, certificates were granted Mrs. Anna 
Munson, widow of the late Woodburn Wilson, dis- 
missing her to the Kirkpatrick Memorial Church, and to 
John L. Burke, Sarah E., his wife, and Pearl, their 
daughter, to the Williams Avenue M. E. Church, Brook- 
lyn, N. Y. 

December 3rd, Mrs. Julia E., wife of Charles F. 
Creveling, M. D., was received by letter from the M. 
E. Church of Phillipsburg, N. J., and Mrs. Jane Ann 
Quick and Jesse B. Conover were received on examina- 
tion to membership of this Church. 

March 3, 1893, a letter was granted Mrs. Hannah 
M. Smith to St. Paul's M. E. Church, Trenton, N. J. 
At the same time William B. Prall, Jr., was received 
into this Church on examination, and John Young by 
letter from the Reformed Church of Branchville, N. J. 
March 12th, Mrs. Edward H. Stout, nee Susie E. 
Hoagland, was dismissed by letter to the Presbyterian 
Church of Lambertville, N. J. 

March 31st, for the year, the record is six received on 
examination and four by letter, while thirteen were dis- 
missed to other churches, and three died, leaving a total 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 303 

of 150. At the same time the Church made decided 
gains in beneficence in all departments. 

The Session granted a certificate July 23rd, 1893, to 
Mrs. Gertrude V. M. Peterson, dismissing her to the 
Second Reformed Church of Somerville, N. J. Mrs. 
Peterson had left the Church in 1891, but did not call 
for her certificate until this time. It should be added 
that Mrs. Peterson had served the Church as organist 
and leading soprano for many years, with great* faithful- 
ness and efficiency, and her removal from us has been 
felt as a severe loss to the Church. 

August 19th, letters were granted to Deacon John 
Emilie Holcombe and his wife, Emma A. Skillman, to 
the Presbyterian Church of Flemington. August 23rd, 
Mrs. Rhoda F., widow of Paul Quick, was dismissed to 
the Presbyterian Church of Hopewell. On the 30th, 
Henry C. Kline and his wife, Jennie C. Young, from 
the Reformed Church of Branchville. At the same time 
the pastor informed Session that Miss Bessie Smith, who 
had been organist since the removal of Mrs. Peterson, 
was about to leave the community, and asked Session to 
appoint a Committee to secure some one to fill her place. 
Elder Wm. J. Bellis and I. S. Lowe were made such 
Committee. 

December 22nd, Mrs. Cora L. . Smith, wife of D. 
Whitney Smith, was dismissed to the Second Presbyter- 
ian Church of Princeton. The Music Committee re- 
ported that they had engaged Miss Bessie Hill to take 
the place of organist in the Church. 

At this meeting of Session it was decided to observe 
the week of prayer as has been our uniform custom, and 



304 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

to follow this with such evangelistic services as may seem 
advisable. 

January 28th, 1894, tne Session granted certificates to 
Abraham W. Prall and Mary Elizabeth, his wife, to the 
Kirkpatrick Memorial Church. February 18th, the same 
to Miss Bessie Smith to the Presbyterian Church of Flem- 
ington, and March 3rd to Miss Mary Elizabeth Kane 
to the Church of Roselle, N. J. 

At this time Elder C. F. Quick was reappointed to 
act with the pastor in the cause of Foreign Missions. 
The year closed with only two received, while eleven 
were dismissed to other churches and four had died, giv- 
ing a total of 139 members. Over against this painful 
fact was the cheering one, that there was a small increase 
all around in offerings for the spread of the gospel. 

July 2nd, 1894, the Session received from the M. E. 
Church of Flemington Samuel Griggs, Georgianna, his 
wife, and Belle C, their daughter; also Margaret Hill 
Polhemus, wife of Isaac Lowe, and Alice Van Marter 
Polhemus, wife of Johnson B. Pierce, from the Reformed 
Church of Clover Hill. Anna A. Sutphen was received 
September 1st, on examination, and December 9th, Mrs. 
Mary C. Karkuff, from the Reformed Church of An- 
nandale. At the same time the Session determined to 
observe the week of .prayer, and follow with evangelistic 
service, as called for. 

The pastor convened Session December 16, and re- 
minded the members of the serious illness of Rev. Wm. 
M. Wells, of Amwell United First Church, and asked 
the privilege of rendering that Church a voluntary ser- 
vice for one Sabbath, as was being done by other churches 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1900 305 

and pastors in the Presbytery. This was cheerfully 
granted by the Session, at the same time agreeing to 
hold a prayer service in the absence of the pastor. This 
service was rendered for Brother Wells the first Sab- 
bath of January, 1895. A similar arrangement was made 
for Rev. W. H. Filson and the Church at Frenchtown, 
during the following summer. 

According to the decision of Session, the week of 
prayer at the beginning of the year was followed by evan- 
gelistic services for seven weeks. These services resulted 
in a quickened interest among the members of the 
Church, and the addition, March 2nd, 1895, on examina- 
tion and to both sacraments, John H. Swarer, Wil- 
mina Rounsaville, wife of J. K. Rounsaville, Robert 
Smith, Charles Cronce, Samuel Gano, Samuel Hall, 
Elizabeth E. Walker and John V. Hoagland; and to 
the Lord's supper only Elizabeth H. Conover, wife of 
John H. Swarer, John Q. Williamson, Mary Ann Sloff, 
his wife, and William H. Housel, and by letter, Erne- 
line Conover, wife of Peter, from the Reformed Church 
of Clover Hill, Emily V. Conover, wife of Charles D. 
Wyckoff, from the Reformed Church of Readington; 
and March 3rd, Peter H. Conover and William H., his 
son, and Sarah Taylor to both sacraments. These per- 
sons made a public profession of their faith in Christ 
and entered covenant to serve him, before the administra- 
tion of the sacraments, Sabbath morning. 

The yearly report to Presbytery showed our largest 
increase in membership and again an increase in the offer- 
ings of the Church for the spread of the gospel, especially 

in the foreign field. The sum reached for Foreign Mis- 
20 



306 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

sions was $119, the largest sum for this cause in the his- 
tory of the Church. For all these blessings, the Church, 
and especially the pastor and his wife were very grate- 
ful. And while our Sabbath School reported only 102 
members, there were in the School thirty scholars who 
were Church members. 

The Session received April 20, 1895, on examination, 
Cora B. Rounsaville and Mrs. Cornelia R. Smith, wife 
of Mahlon Smith, Jr., and by letter, Mrs. Mary Ella Holt, 
wife of W. Y. Holt, from the Presbyterian Church of 
Flemington, and William B. Dungan and Phoebe, his 
wife, from the Kirkpatrick Memorial Church. At the 
same time Barton Huffman and Sarah R. R., his wife, 
were dismissed to the Kirkpatrick Memorial Church. As 
the pastor had obtained leave of absence, in order that 
he and his wife might again visit Europe, on terms simi- 
lar to those of his first visit, he informed the Session 
that there would be uncertainty about his reaching home 
by the first of September, the Session, by unanimous vote, 
agreed that the communion service be deferred from the 
first to the Second Sabbath of that month, so that, if 
spared, he might be with them. The Session was in- 
formed that the Rev. Mr. Todd, of Cranford, N. J., an 
unemployed minister of the Reformed Church, had been 
engaged to take charge of the pulpit, during the pastor's 
absence, and this was approved. At the meeting of Ses- 
sion, October 6th, a letter was given Mrs. Mary A. Wil- 
son, wife of Aurthur Hoagland, to the Reformed 
Church of Long Branch, and to Stephen A. Staats and 
Martha V. Gulick, his wife, to the Reformed Church of 
New Brunswick. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 307 

October 27, certificates were granted Mrs. Ada Hill 
and Lizzie Hill, her daughter, to the Presbyterian Church 
of Flemington, and to Samuel Hall, to the Reformed 
Church of Neshanic, and Florence Boyd, to the Kirk- 
patrick Memorial Church, while at the same time we 
received Mrs. Elizabeth Dungan from that Church. 
Mrs. Jennie C. V. Staats was dismissed to the Pres- 
byterian Church of Doylestown, Pa. The week of 
prayer and all other means of grace were observed and 
used with conscious faithfulness, unless it be while the 
pastor was absent. But with all this, the year has been 
one of decrease, rather than increase, in all departments, 
so far as numbers may express the conditions. July 5th, 
1896, Mrs. Hannah Hoagland Wiggins was dismissed 
to the Presbyterian Church of Doylestown; December 
5th, Mrs. Horace Herder was dismissed to the Reformed 
Church of Readington. 

The conditions of this Church above expressed, ex- 
tended to the neighboring Churches, the Amwell United 
First, and the Kirkpatrick Memorial Church. 

The pastors of the same, the Rev. Samuel H. Potter 
and the Rev. George W. S. Wenrick and myself agreed 
to unite in an effort for more aggressive work. In this 
we had the cordial co-operation of our respective Ses- 
sions, and of our people as well. The plan was for all 
to unite in a service at one of these churches one night, 
and at another the next, thus keeping up a continuous inter- 
church service. This was commenced November 8th, 
and was continued for four weeks, at which all the 
pastors were present with one or two exceptions, and 
preached for each other. The audiences were large, the 



308 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

people were deeply interested, and blessed results followed 
immediately in the Memorial Church and in the others 
the good influences were abiding, and the ingathering 
came following the week of prayer. 

The Session gave a certificate, February 7th, to Mrs. 
Anna, wife of George R. Hill, dismissing her to the 
Presbyterian Church of Flemington, and to J. Jacob 
Kisz, to the German Evangelical Church of Paterson, 

x. J. 

March 6, 1897, tne following persons appeared before 
Session, and after examination, were admitted to the 
sealing ordinance of baptism and the Lord's supper, viz: 
Mrs. Nancy Crouce, wife of William, Sarah Mown-, 
Eleanor Griggs and Alexander Stryker; and the follow- 
ing having received baptism in infancy, were admitted to 
the Lord's supper, viz: Myrta Bellis and Anna W. 
Sutphin. 

It seems to the writer worthy of mention that one 
of the above number, Mr. Alexander Stryker, was at the 
time of his reception into the Church seventy-five years 
of age. During my entire pastorate, of over forty years, 
this is the only person received into the Church of so 
great age, and only one other as old as seventy. And it 
may be added that both these aged disciples were blessed 
with godly, faithful and praying wives. 

During the year now closing a new organization in 
the church was constituted, which has already occom- 
plished much and has the promise of greater things. 

Mrs. Kugler having enlisted the assistance of Mrs. 
M. J. Bellis and Miss Fulper, a teacher in the public 
school, gave notice for the children to meet in the after- 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 309 

noon of November 21st, 1896, at the home of Mrs. Wil- 
liam Cronce, in order to organize a Children's Mission 
Band. On the day appointed, owing to the inclement 
weather, Mrs. Kugler found herself alone with a small 
number of children. However, she proceeded to effect 
the organization, acting herself as President, and ap- 
pointed Mrs. Bellis as Treasurer, and Miss Fulper as 
Secretary. The ten children present were so delighted 
with the exercises of this first meeting that the numbers 
increased rapidly and by close of the Church year at the 
end of March following, the Band numbered twenty- 
eight members. And the contributions up to this date 
amounted to three dollars. It was enjoined upon the 
Children from the start to earn the money they contri- 
buted, and at each meeting a time was set apart for these 
little ones to tell how they had earned their money. This 
awakened so much interest among the children, that at 
length it reached the parents and extended beyond the 
Church, Some one related this to Miss Petrie, Editor 
of the Children's Department, in the Home Mission 
Monthly of the Woman's Board, who wrote, asking for 
an account of the method and its working, and published 
the same at length in that magazine. It was decided, 
by the Band at the beginning, to send their money for 
the School at Juneau, Alaska, to aid in securing educa- 
tion, and especially religious instruction, for these be- 
nighted American children. The Band was invited, each 
year, during the summer, to hold a meeting at the par- 
sonage. Here, after the exercises, refreshments were 
served under the green trees on the spacious lawn. Their 
enjoyment from this, and the exuberance of childish glee 



3io AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

showed plainly that a Mission Band was a thing of life 
and joy. 

After the first year Miss Fulper took a school elsewhere ; 
Miss Anna Everitt was selected to fill her place. She 
continued the faithful and efficient Secretary until the 
close of my pastorate. 

In 1898 Mrs. Kugler organized a Baby Band, which 
by the end of the year had twelve members, and made a 
contribution toward reducing the debt on the Board of 
Home Missions. At the close of the same year, March 
31st, 1898, the Band honored the pastor, by taking 
his name, being after this known as the Kugler Mission 
Band. The contribution of the Band to the work at 
Juneau at this time was eight dollars. In 1899 and 1900, 
the contribution was for each year $10, making in all up to 
this time, the time of my last report, $31 to the Mission 
Work in Alaska. The Band continued its meetings and 
exercises with unflagging interest to the close of my pas- 
torate. Mrs. Kugler has looked upon the Band as her 
crowning joy, and small as the sum is in the aggregate, 
let me remind you that $10 a year is a larger sum than 
the entire Church gave to Home Missions in the early 
sixties. Evidently organized, faithful and persistent ef- 
forts are needed; and such efforts will secure the funds 
for the spread of the gospel. 

The death of Deacon Lewis Sutphin occurred during 
the year. Upon his death the Session took the following 
action : 

Lewis Sutphin united with this Church April 4th, 
1863, during the pastorate of Rev. J. H. Janeway. He 
was ordained to the office of Deacon, March 2nd, 1870, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 311 

Rev. N. L. Upham being the pastor. He died after a 
painful and protracted illness, July 2nd, 1898. He was 
sustained during that sickness through an unwavering 
faith in his Redeemer, and a blessed hope of immortality. 
And further; be it 

Resolved, That we bear testimony to his faithfulness 
as a member and office-bearer in this Church, which in 
his death has sustained a serious loss. And further, by 
his departure we are called to increased devotion to his 
Saviour and ours. Ordered that a copy of these resolu- 
tions be handed to his afflicted family, with assurances of 
our sympathy, and that this minute be placed on our 
records. 

Instead of growth, there was decrease during the year 
in the total membership of the Church, and also in the 
sum given to support the Church, as well as the offerings 
for the use of the Boards of the Church. 

The Presbytery of New Brunswick was invited, at 
its Spring meeting this year, 1898, by the Church, to 
join in celebrating its One Hundred and Sixtieth An- 
niversary. The Rev. Samuel M. Studdiford, D. D., of 
the Third Church, Trenton, a college and seminary 
friend of the pastor, was appointed to represent the Pres- 
bytery at this celebration. The pastor must confess that 
at the time very little preparation had been made for this 
service, which was set for June 1st. In fact, it was 
contemplated as more of a commemoration service, with 
a brief statement of the pastorates and their accompany- 
ing dates, than an occasion of commensurate historical 
importance. But when once he began to search for these 
facts, so many unrecorded and forgotten things in the 



3i2 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

Church's history were discovered, that he was led to go 
on with his investigation and to the best of his ability 
produce a history of the Church. The result has been 
told in the preceding pages. Even the date itself must 
be changed. The minutes of the Presbytery had re- 
corded, time without number, the organization of the 
Church as taking place in 1738. But as has already been 
stated, the Church, as organized, was found on the rec- 
ords of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, in 1737. How 
much earlier, we do not know, because for several years 
the records of that Presbytery are no longer in exist- 
ence. 

But when June 1st, 1898, came, we had a charming 
day, and the attendance of a large congregation and 
many invited guests. Among these were several former 
pastors and former members of the Church. 

According to the programme, the pastor opened the 
exercises with an historical sermon. Then our invited 
guests and a large number of the church people partook 
of a very excellent luncheon, prepared by our ladies for 
the occasion. 

After this we had a delightful hour of after-dinner 
speeches. We listened to these with great pleasure. 
Among them were Dr. Studdiford, from the Presbytery, 
former pastors, Rev. N. L. Upham, Rev. John H. Sco- 
fleld and Rev. J. W. P. Blattenberger, D. D.; also 
Oliver P. Rex, M. D., one of our boys, and a former 
member of the Church. 

In the afternoon visiting clergymen took possession of 
the exercises, and insisted on another discourse from the 
pastor. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 313 

In the evening the programme was delightfully car- 
ried out. John L. Connet, Esq., of Flemington, gave 
us a most stimulating address on the Mission of the C. 
E. Society. 

Dr. Blattenberger delighted and helped the Woman's 
Home and Foreign Missionary Societies by an address 
full of fact and force on the great work in which they 
are engaged. 

The history of the Church was thus very auspiciously 
placed before the public, but its work was really only 
well begun. Not until the close of his pastorate in 1900 
could the pastor feel he had been over the field. Since 
that day, while engaged as he has been able in revising 
what he had already written, he has made many additional 
discoveries, which have enlarged, and he hopes, greatly im- 
proved the whole. To go back to the work itself — the 
Session decided June 19th, 1898, to return to the cus- 
tom of former pastorates, and suspend the evening ser- 
vice until in September. September 3rd, Emma J. John- 
son, wife of William B. Prall, Jr., was received from 
the M. E. Church of Linvale, N. J. December 3rd, 
Elizabeth S. Hall was received on examination to 
Church membership. 

In making out the report, April, 1899, while there 
had been losses in other respects, the pastor was de- 
lighted in being able to report the largest gift to Home 
Missions, and the largest total sum for the work of the 
Boards in the history of the Church, viz: $70 in the 
former and $260 for all causes. 

June 3rd, 1899, Laura Ent, wife of Howard Sut- 
phin, was received to the membership of the Church by 



3H AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

letter from the Baptist Church of Flemington, N. J. 
June 1 6th, letters were given to John J. Hall, Theo- 
dosia, his wife, and Elizabeth, their daughter, dismiss- 
ing them to the Presbyterian Church of Flemington. 
During the early fall, a number of clergymen and Chris- 
tian workers met at the Baptist Church of Flemington, 
of which the Rev. Mr. Sagebeer was pastor, and or- 
ganized what was called an Evangelistic Campaign in 
Hunterdon County. 

The plan contemplated holding interdenominational 
cottage prayer meetings in every available center through- 
out the county, every Monday evening. It asked for 
the appointment of two managers for each locality, 
whose duty should be to secure a house for the meetings, 
and appoint a leader. The pastor brought this move- 
ment to the attention of the Session October 15 th, and 
it received their sanction. With the approval of the Ses- 
sion it Was set on foot in this Church. The people 
throughout the congregation responded heartily and sus- 
tained their respective meetings for many weeks. Men 
took hold and worked with great faithfulness who had 
hardly done any work of the kind before. This was a 
uniform experience among our people, and a similar testi- 
mony was given elsewhere to the interest with which 
these meetings were sustained. There was thus awak- 
ened a truer sense of personal responsibility, and a re- 
vival of interest delightful to behold. It cannot be said 
that the immediate result was any large increase in mem- 
bership, but an awakened Church with increased activ- 
ity are blessings to be thankful for. A similar move- 
ment was organized by the Presbytery. However, when 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 315 

the year closed, it was with a small decrease in our work 
of beneficence, and no increase in our membership. Yet 
we are persuaded that all honest efforts that secure the 
co-operation of the whole Church, work for the estab- 
lishment of the Kingdom. 

December 2nd, 1899, the Session received by letter 
from the Baptist Church Mrs. John Ent. 

The Session having felt the importance of adding to 
its number, gave official attention to this matter March 
3rd, 1900, and on the 31st of March, appointed Sabbath, 
April the 8th, as the day when nominations would be 
made, and if the way was clear, hold the election on 
that day. 

The Session also agreed, March 31st, on three per- 
sons with whom they would hold conversation, and en- 
deavor to secure their consent to allow their names to 
be placed in nomination. On the 8th of April the pas- 
tor laid the action thus far taken before the congrega- 
tion, and at the same time gave a brief statement of 
the essential qualifications for the office of Ruling Elder. 
After prayer Elder C. F. Quick placed in nomination 
the following names, already agreed upon by the Ses- 
sion, viz: Alvin Hill, Isaac S. Lowe and Johnson B. 
Pierce. Elder A. J. Prall seconded the nominations. 
Mr. Pierce declined the nomination, but yielded to the 
request to allow his name to stand for the present. 

Opportunity was given to the members of the Church 
to make additional nominations. No other nomination 
was made. 

The Moderator then presented each nominee separ- 
ately, and called for a vote, by the holding up of the 



316 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

right hand by the members of the Church. Each nomi- 
nee was unanimously elected. 

The Moderator then announced that if the way be 
clear the ordination and installation of the Elders-elect 
would take place next Sabbath morning. 

After sermon, April 15th, the pastor reminded the 
Church of its action on last Sabbath and stated that 
we would now proceed to the ordination and installa- 
tion of the Elders-elect, if there be no objection. 

Whereupon, Johnson B. Pierce renewed his request 
to be allowed to withdraw his name, which request was 
granted with regret by the members of the Church. 

Alvin Hill and Isaac S. Lowe then presenting them- 
selves before the Congregation, and answering affirma- 
tively the constitutional questions, and the Church also 
answering affirmatively, by holding up the right hand, 
Alvin Hill and Isaac S. Lowe were set apart by prayer 
and the laying on of hands by the pastor to the office of 
Ruling Elder. During the ordination prayer the Eld- 
ers, with the pastor, stood around the candidates, and 
at its close, each one extended to the newly ordained 
Elders the right hand, saying: 'W T e give you the right 
hand of fellowship, to take part with us in this office." 

In the very month in which the first steps were taken 
for enlarging the Session, the Church lost by death its 
Senior Deacon, Mr. John Quick. 

Deacon Quick's death was a great shock to the Church, 
it having occurred without previous sickness, and dur- 
ing sleep on the 14th of March, 1900. His dying moans 
were heard only by his wife, who was alone with him 
in their home. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 317 

The action of the Session^ on his death, was delayed 
until July by the pastor's sickness. The essential state- 
ments of that action were as follows: John Quick was 
the son of Gideon Quick and Sarah Fisher, his wife, 
his mother being one the two first teachers in our Sab- 
bath School. His grandfather was John P. Quick, an 
Elder in this Church. 

Mr. Quick was born July 17th, 1820, therefore being 
nearly eighty years of age when he died. He and 
Frances Holcombe were united in marriage at Mount 
Airy, November 30th, 1842. He and Mrs. Quick united 
with this Church April nth, 1846, under the pastor- 
ate of Rev. Benjamin Carrell. He was ordained to the 
office of Deacon March 20th, 1870, Rev. N. L. Upham 
being pastor. This venerable couple celebrated their 
golden wedding November 30th, 1892. 

Mr. Quick was a warm and generous friend of his 
pastor, and a liberal supporter of the church, not only 
in its annual expenses, but always ready to join, and of- 
ten to lead in movements for improving the Church 
property. The Session bore hearty testimony to his 
liberality as shown throughout his life; also to his de- 
voted interest in all her service; as also to his faithful 
discharge of the duties of Trustee from 1851, and for 
many terms afterward; to his fidelity as Treasurer of 
the board from 1877 t0 1888, during which period he 
was often called to bear heavy burdens for the Church, 
and finally for his gift of $500 to the Church, to become 
available at the death of Mrs. Quick. 
In behalf of Session, 

John B. Kugler, Modr. 



318 AM WELL FIRST CHURCH 

On the Sabbath following the ordination of these Eld- 
ers the pastor's sickness began, which resulted in his 
breakdown and withdrawing from the pastorate of the 
Church. For this reason I may be pardoned for its men- 
tion here. I preached at the morning service April 22nd, 
1900, with unusual earnestness and conscious ease. Not 
until evening did I realize my approaching sickness. Be- 
fore the hour of service I was constrained to send word 
to the Church that I would be unable to serve them, but 
then thinking it only a cold that disabled me, and in a 
few days I could return to the work. It was otherwise 
ordered. The cold developed in grippe, and grippe was 
accompanied with pneumonia. Then came a long strug- 
gle for life. While others were more than anxious I 
never lost hope of final recovery. 

Yet when two neighbors sat through an entire night 
on the piazza unknown to my family, expecting every 
hour would announce my death, to be on hand to render 
help to Mrs. Kugler, I must admit my case to have as- 
sumed a critical stage. I am grateful to Almighty God 
that He was pleased to extend His hand of mercy. I 
fully believe He often, if not always, disposes the hearts 
and hands of His people to do His service. The Church 
truly did what it could for my recovery. The skilled 
Dr. Leidy, of Flemington, and Dr. Oliver P. Rex, of 
Philadelphia, who was spending a few days at his 
mother's home for needed rest, also most kindly and 
efficiently exercised in my behalf his healing art. A 
trained nurse did what she could. Johnson B. Pierce, 
David Huffman and Morris W. Robinson watched be- 
side my bed many a night. Mrs. William Pierce came 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 319 

after the nurse left and served me faithfully and wisely. 
Above all, and I think best of all, was the exhaustless care 
and always timely and loving helpfulness of my devoted 
wife. My son and his wife did what they could, while 
home duties were calling them away from me. So to the 
joy and gratitude of us all the relief came. 

This sickness began the 22nd of April; not until the 
first Sabbath in July was I able to return to my pulpit. 
My physicians had advised me of the necessity of resign- 
ing my charge and quitting the work. This was more 
than, at the time, I could accept. To gain the health 
needed for continuing in the service of my Master, we 
spent many weeks at the Clifton Springs Sanitarium. 
The strength acquired was only temporary. It would 
not endure the strain of daily service. A few weeks 
made this evident. Sabbath morning, October 7th, I 
gave notice of my purpose to request Presbytery to 
release me from my charge. The usual steps were taken. 
The Congregation with manifest regret appointed Com- 
missioners to unite with me at the Presbytery meeting 
at the intervals of Synod at Atlantic City to ask for 
the dissolution of my pastoral relation with the First 
Church of Amwell. This took place October 17th, the 
action to go into effect November nth, 1900. Soon 
came the sad day on which was broken the official bond. 
We held a communion service in the morning, when we 
broke bread together and partook of the cup. The older 
people had in the former part of this service received an 
especial message. Then we sang "Blest be the tie that 
binds." 

In the evening the message and the whole service were 



320 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

for the young people. The Church was completely 
filled. During this service the unwavering attention, 
the intense interest, the enthusiasm, the manifest kind- 
ness were all so abounding that it was not in nature to 
billow the emotion of sadness to prevent emotions of joy 
and gratitude for the kindness showed at this parting 
service. 

Following these closing services, there remain a few 
facts to be gathered and stated. 

When I took charge of this Church, one aim I set 
before myself was to do my very best to reach the com- 
paratively small number not in Church fellowship. The 
record of this endeavor has already been given. I am 
free to say the result was not up to my desire. Stated in 
figures, we received into the Church on examination 50, 
and by letter 40. And yet the number who died during 
my pastorate, the number dismissed to other churches, 
and the number put on the list of absent members re- 
duced the membership of 157 to 114 when I left. This 
is to me sad, although it follows a long existing example. 
It may be added that new churches on territory formerly 
under this Church are ever reducing our membership. Yet 
I believe there is a better day coming for this venerable 
Church. 

Another aim set before myself was to lead the people 
to closer fellowship with the Master, and to a more lib- 
eral consecration of their means to the spread of the 
gospel. The gain was gratifying and gave reason for 
gratitude to the blessed Master. In this department of 
Christian activity and liberality, Mrs. Kugler co-oper- 
ated with me to the fullest extent. It is impossible to 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 321 

express Christian activity by tabulated statements. These 
however may be indexes of efforts for the Master, and 
sometimes are useful. 

In this work collections were annually taken for all 
the eight Boards of the Church, and for the Bible So- 
ciety also. Only the Boards of Home and Foreign Mis- 
sions are here tabulated, together with what the Church 
did in its own behalf. While the importance of all these 
Boards is recognized, it has been the custom of the 
Church to do more liberally for the two boards men- 
tioned than for the others. It is deemed sufficient for 
the other boards to state the sum contributed to the in- 
terests 'they represent in the column of total beneficence. 
The cause standing next in interest to the two mission 
boards so-called (they are all equally mission causes), is 
what we designate Synodical Home Missions. In the 
advocacy of this, we experienced the greatest difficulty 
in making headway with the people. But understanding 
its importance, as the people did not, or would not, and 
as in this case, there was a specified sum indicated by the 
Synod for each Church to work up to. Mrs. Kugler 
and myself resolving to reach it if possible, offered to the 
Church people, if they would give one-half, we would 
contribute the other half. In this way w T e succeeded 
from year to year in reaching the sum asked. 

The tabulated statement of the beneficence of the 

Church, and what it contributed to its own needs is here 

given. The variation in congregational expenses arises 

from the fact that in 1891 a new furnace was put in 

the parsonage. The congregation consented to do this, 
21 



322 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

when Mrs. Kugler and myself offered to contribute $50 
on the expense. The whole cost was $149, and we 
gave more than we promised. In 1891 and 1892 the 
Church was painted at a cost of $155. A new roof 
was put on in 1894, at a cost oi $281. 

The columns for Home and Foreign Missions first 
state what the whole Church contributed. The next 
two columns show what part of this was given by the 
Women's Societies. Then we have the total beneficence 
of the Church, including these and all other objects. 

Year. H. M. F. M. W. H. M. 

1891 $39 $112 $45 



1892 


42 


93 


56(a) 


1893 


54 


in 


5i 


1894 


50 


112 


38 


1895 


54 


119 


54 


1896 


48 


98 


49 


1897 


50 


in 


47 


1898 


47 


98 


39 


1899 


70 


107 


52 


1900 


56 


IOI 


50 




$502 


$1062 


$481 



Note (a) — Here the Women's Home Mission gives 
more than is set to the whole Church. The explanation 
is this Society handed over a part of their funds to the 
cause of Freedmen Sunday School or any other cause that 
came out very low. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 323 







Total 


Congregational 


Year. 


W. F. M. 


Beneficence. 


Expenses. 


1891 


$75 


$244 


$1401 


1892 


64 


206 


1594 


1893 


73 


253 


1315 


1894 


75 


256 


1355 


i895 


9i 


247 


1222 


1896 


68 


220 


1242 


1897 


77 


245 


1495 


1898 


62 


330 


1022 


1899 


7i 


260 


938 


1900 


67 


235 


1030 



$723 $2496 $12605 

My third object on which to lay stress, was the cause 
of temperance. I determined to present this cause to the 
consciences of the Church people, in the sanest, most 
forcible manner in my power. It is a real pleasure to 
me to see that now, twelve years after this toil and ad- 
vocacy, the influence of this effort abides as a living fac- 
tor in creating a healthy sentiment, which at times has 
been translated into telling action. 

Another labor of love of mine, a real pet it was and 
one never spoiled as pets often are, was a Bible Class 
in connection with the Sabbath School. There was of- 
ten evidence of interest and study that showed plainly 
that the class fully shared with me my enthusiasm and 
pleasure in this effort to know more of the blessed book. 

The sexton of a Church, to do his best, will get as 
much blame as praise, for the reason that too hot for 



324 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

one is too cold for another. Be it so, I can not bring 
this record to a close, without saying that during my 
ministry there has never been any more faithfully served 
than has this old Church during my pastorate by Mr. Wil- 
liam Cronce. In keeping it thoroughly clean, he had 
the efficient help of Mrs. Cronce. Wisely heated, well 
and wisely ventilated is the verdict I gladly place to his 
credit. In addition to this Mr. and Mrs. Cronce made 
Mrs. Kugler and myself their debtors by the many help- 
ful things they did for us at the parsonage. With this 
I close the record, excepting the usual personal statement, 
as I have given of other pastors, and a word about two 
funerals I was called back to attend after leaving the 
Church. The very last was that of Mrs. Christianna 
Wert, widow of the late Jacob Quick. This service was 
in 1 910. Mrs. Quick, with rher husband, united with 
the Church in 1846. This makes her Church member- 
ship sixty-four years. As she was a member of the Wo- 
man's Missionary Society, I asked Mrs. Kugler about her, 
as I was getting ready for these sad services. Her an- 
swer was: "She was a woman who made the world 
better for having lived in it." This is her tribute. May 
the Master help us all to do likewise. The other fu- 
neral was that of Elder Quick, the account of which is 
given in an appendix. 

Having given a personal sketch of former pastors, it 
seems fitting that I should do the same for myself. My 
great-grandfather, John Kugler, came to America from 
Germany in 1753, being a lad of about 13 years of age. 
He died at the age of 73 years. My grandfather, also 
John, lived, when I knew him, in my boyhood, near 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 325 

Barbertown. He died at the age of 71 years. My 
father was Joseph Kugler, born in 1804, and died in 
1864. My mother was Sarah M. Backer, of the Reformed 
Church of Lebanon. I was born at Lebanon, N. J., 
March 5th, 1832, and from the age of 5 years, lived on a 
farm at Frenchtown until I entered the ministry. I united 
with the Presbyterian Church of that place October, 
1850, being the first person received into that Church 
on examination. My parents were charter members of 
the same and my father was its first elder. During 
my preparation for College I taught school, public, or 
classical, at different times, entering Princeton College 
Sophomore Class in 1854, and graduating in 1857. 
Leaving College I entered the Seminary at Princeton 
the same year and graduated in i860. 

The first church of which I was pastor was that of 
Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pa. I took charge of this 
Church the first Sabbath, May 5th, after leaving the 
Seminary. I was ordained and installed by the Presby- 
tery of Donegal (now Westminster) June 12th, i860, 
and remained until the fall of 1865. Then became pas- 
tor of the Musconetcong Valley Presbyterian Church, at 
that time in the Presbytery of Raritan, N. J., transferred 
to Newton Presbytery in 1870. I remained until 1883. 
Then settled in Hoboken, which I left March 30th, 
1890. Was called to Amwell First, settled April 1st, 
was installed May 27th. Pastoral relation dissolved 
October 17th, to take effect November nth, 1900. 

I was chosen three times as Commissioner to the Gen- 
eral Assembly, viz. : To represent the Presbytery of 
Donegal to the Assembly at Pittsburg, 1865; to represent 



326 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

the Presbytery of Newton at the Assembly at Saratoga, 
N. Y., 1879, and the Presbytery of Jersey City at Omaha 
in 1887. 

I was united in marriage July 3rd, i860, with Sarah 
Sherrerd, daughter of William and Jane M. Green, of 
Easton, Pa. Mrs. Kugler bore me a daughter and 
son. Her ancestry is the same as that of her aunt, 
Mrs. Clark (p. 188). Through her father it leads 
from John Green, back to his people in Trenton. I 
fondly remember her as always a faithful and affection- 
ate wife. My second wife was Ann Elizabeth, daugh- 
ter of the late Senator Peter Cramer and Sarah Skin- 
ner, his wife, of Warren County. Our marriage took 
place June 18th, 1873, in the Valley Church, of which 
she was a member, and I was pastor. 

It is to my great happiness that she is spared to me, 
and my sincerest desire that she may ever be. With this 
personal sketch the story of this Old Mother Church 
has been told. We are thankful for the part we have 
had in ministering together for her life and vigor, and 
more so for what we have been able to accomplish in her 
and through her, for the honor of our blessed Lord, and 
the extension of his Kingdom. May the divine bless- 
ing be upon her, for her deeper Spiritual life, and speedi- 
ly for her enlargement. 

APPENDIX I ELDER CALEB FARLEE QUICK. 

The service rendered the Church by Elder Quick 
seems to make it appropriate to connect his name with 
this history, although his death occurred after I had 
ceased to be the pastor of the Church. As in many 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 327 

other cases, I was called back to have a principal part in 
the funeral services. 

Elder C. F. Quick, and his brothers Jacob and John, 
were born within scarcely more than a mile from the 
Church; and excepting a short time spent by John in 
business in New York, they all settled and lived within 
sight of the Church, all being farmers. They were the 
sons of Gideon Quick and Sarah Fisher, his wife, and 
grandsons of Elder John P. Quick. John and Jacob 
each celebrated their golden wedding anniversary dur- 
ing my pastorate. And while Mrs. Caleb Quick died 
five years before the occurance of that event with herself 
and husband, Mr. Quick lived eight years beyond it, 
as he and Catharine B. Holcombe were united in mar- 
riage, November 24th, 1847. He was born July 25th, 
1825. 

He was chosen trustee of the Church in 1859, and 
again in 1864, and from that date re-elected and 
served until 1875. He also served the Church for the 
same period as President of its Board of Trustees, and 
also Treasurer. Very frequently during his long life, 
he was either President or Secretary for the meetings of 
the Congregation. He united with the Church on ex- 
amination March the nth, 1879, under the pastorate 
of Dr. Blattenberger. 

In 1884 he was chosen and ordained to the Elder- 
ship under the same pastor. The year following he was 
appointed Clerk of the Session, and so continued 
throughout his life. 

In 1888, he was one of the lay commissioners elected 
to represent the Presbytery of New Brunswick at the 



328 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

General Assembly at Omaha. During my pastorate he 
was a member with myself of the Committee of the 
Church on Foreign Missions. His death occurred Feb- 
ruary 9th, 1905. In addition to these honors by the 
Church, he frequently held positions of responsibility 
and trust in civic affairs. He was called upon by many 
neighbors to settle estates. Often he was selected as 
guardian for minors. Other trust money was also com- 
mitted to his care. It was to his honor and credit that 
he closed up this business, extending over many years, 
with the record that he had never lost a dollar of other 
peoples' money. 

He had an abiding interest in the Church, and gave 
time and money, and his ripened experience, and sound 
judgment to her wellfare. 

The passing away of such a man is indeed a sore be- 
reavement to the Church and his family. But both 
must soon realize that in his memory they have a rich 
inheritance and in his life a stimulus to fuller devotion 
to the blessed Saviour in whom he trusted, and whom 
he delighted to serve. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 329 

THE PASTORS. 

1 75 1 Rev. Elfab Byram. 
1755 Rev. Benjamin Hait. 
1766 Rev. William Kirkpatrick. 
1776 Rev. John Warford. 
1 791 Rev. Thomas Grant. 
1 810 Rev. Jacob Kirkpatrick. 
1820 Rev. John Flavel Clark. 
1837 Rev. David Hull. 
1844 Rev. Benjamin Carroll. 
i860 Rev. George P. Van Wyck. 
1863 Rev. Joshua B. H. Janeway. 
1865 Rev. N. L. Upham. 
1872 Rev. John H. Scofield. 
1875 Rev. John S. Beekman. 
1878 Rev. J. P. W. Blattenberger. 
1888 Rev. Thomas Chalmers Potter. 
1890 to 1900 Rev. John B. Kugler. 



330 AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 

ROLL OF ELDERS. 

1837. Alexander White, 

Derick Hoagland, Abraham Prall, 

Michael Henry, Joseph Reading,* 

Abraham La Rue, John Prall, 

Jacob Ruder, Jonathan Burrows, 

Peter Wilson, David Bishop, d. 1815, 

William Norcross, Titus Quick. 

The Records of Session begin with the pastorate of 
Rev. John Flavel Clark, 1820, Titus Quick being the 
only Elder in the Church. 

John Hageman, 1822, Peter C. Schenck, 1840, 

moved aw T ay 1856, John E. Holcombe, 1853, 

Tunis Quick, 1822, d. 1859, 

Peter P. Young, 1831, d. William Waldron, 1853, 

1867, d. 1866, 

George F. Wilson, 1831, Ralph Sutphin, 1853, 

moved away 1852, John H. Johnson, 1865 

John P. Quick, 1831, d. moved away 1874, 

1845, Jacob S. Prall, 1865, 

Elders received from moved away 1868, 

Clover Hill: Zebulon Stout, 1870, d. 

Henry Van Derveer, 1840, 1885, 

John Nevius, 1840, d. William Hill, 1870, d. 

1857, 1891, 



*Joseph Reading was a member of Amwell Second 
Church. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 331 



Irenaeus R. Glen, M. D., 
1870, moved away 1871, 

John Y. Bellis, 1872, d. 
1888, 

George P. Rex, M. D., 
1872, d. 1889, 

Abraham J. Prall, 1872, 



Caleb F. Quick, 1884, d. 

1905, 
Martin J. Bellis, 1884, 
James P. Chamberlin, 

1884, 
Alvin Hill, 1899, 
Isaac S. Lowe, 1899. 



ROLL OF TRUSTEES. 
FROM l820. 



Titus Quick, 
Jacob J. Young, 
Wm. W. Schenck, 
Aaron Prall, 
John P. Quick, 
Abraham Sutphin, 
Peter P. Quick. 
1826. 
John P. Quick, 
John Kee, 
George F. Wilson, 
Peter P. Quick, 
William R. Prall, 
Titus Quick, 
Jonathan Hoagland. 



1838. 
Peter Quick, 
Joseph Van Marter, 
Gideon Quick, 
Jonathan H. Conover, 
Lewis Labaw, 
Jacob W. Schenck, 
George P. Rex, M. D. 

1839. 
Anthony L. Case, 
Gideon Quick, 
George P. Rex, M. £>., 
Jacob W. Schenck, 
Lewis Labaw, 
Jacob F. Prall, 
Ralph Young. 



To these Trustees, the lot for the new Church was 
deeded. Recorded at Flemington, May 7th, 1839, Vol. 
71, fol. 354-5- 

1840. Anthony L. Case, 

After the union with Gideon Quick, 

Clover Hill: Abraham V. Polhemus, 



332 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Jacob W. Schenck, 
C. P. Brokaw, 
Henry Van Derveer, Jr., 
Joseph Van Marter. 

1842. 
Jacob Voorhees, 
Gideon Quick, 
John Y. Bellis, 
Theodore Young, 
Cornelius P. Brokaw, 
Joseph C. Sutphin, 
Joseph Van Marter. 

1844. 
Jacob W. Nevius, 
Jacob Voorhees, 
Paul K. Dilts, 
William Waldron, 
John E. Holcombe, 
Gideon Quick, 
Joseph C. Sutphin. 

1847. 
Jacob Y. Quick, 
Zebulon Stout, 
Reading Smith. 

1851. 
John E. Holcombe, 
Paul K. Dilts, • 
Zebulon Stout, 
John Quick, 
Robert R. Smith, 
N. Wilson Young, 



John L. Bellis. 

1852. 
John E. Holcombe, 
John Sharp, 
Zebulon Stout, 
John Quick, 
Robert R. Smith, 
David Y. Bellis, 
William Sheppard. 

1853. 
John E. Holcombe, 
John Sharp, 
John Quick, 
John Y. Bellis, 
Jacob F. Prall, 
Ketenus Young, 
David Bellis. 

1855. 
John E. Holcombe, 
Jacob K. Van Derveer, 
Gideon Quick, 
John W. Phillips, 
P. Prall Quick, 
John Schenck, 
Derrick Sutphin. 

1856. 
Ralph Sutphin, 
Gideon Quick, 
Jacob K. Van Derveer, 
John W. Phillips, 
P. Prall Quick, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 333 



Dr. Simeon S. Dana, 
Derrick Sutphin. 

i857- 
Jacob K. Van Derveer, 
Gideon Quick, 
Caleb F. Quick, 
James P. Chamberlin, 
Zebulon Stout, 
Derrick Sutphin, 
John Y. Bellis. 

1858. 
Jacob K. Van Derveer, 
Gideon Quick, 
Zebulon Stout, 
Derrick Sutphin, 
John Y. Bellis, 
Jacob W. Nevius, 
William B. Prall. 

1859. 
Board re-elected. 

i860. 
John Quick, 
John L. Case, 
Zebulon Stout, 
William Sutphin, 
John H. Phillips, 
Jacob W. Nevius, 
William B. Prall. 

1863. 
Jacob S. Prall, 
John Quick, 



Zebulon Stout, 
John H. Phillips, 
John W. Williamson, 
William B. Prall, 
William Sutphin. 

1864. 
Anthony L. Case, 
Caleb F. Quick, 
James P. Chamberlin, 
Zebulon Stout, 
John Phillips, 
John W. Williamson, 
William Sutphin. 

1865. 
Caleb F. Quick, 
John Quick, 
Zebulon Stout, 
John H. Phillips, 
John H. Williamson, 
James P. Chamberlin, 
William Sutphin. 

1866, 1867. 
Re-elected the same. 

1868. 
Caleb F. Quick, 
John H. Williamson, 
Asher Higgins, 
John Y. Bellis, 
Abraham J. Prall, 
William Sutphin, 
John Quick, 



334 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



1869. 
Caleb F. Quick, 
Robert R. Smith, 
Asher Higgins, 
John Y. Bellis, 
Abraham J. Prall, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
John Quick. 

1870. 
Board re-elected, except- 
ing Jacob F. Quick, 
in place of John Quick. 

1871. 
Caleb F. Quick, 
John Y. Bellis, 
William B. Prall, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
Lewis C Case, 
Robert R. Smith, 
John T. Hudnut. 

1872. 
Caleb F. Quick, 
Robert W. Hunt, 
John Y. Bellis, 
William B. Prall, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
Lewis C. Case, 
Jacob Quick. 

1873. 
Clinton B. Blackwell, in 
place of John Y. Bellis. 



1874. 
Caleb F. Quick, 
William Bellis, 
William B. Prall, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
Lewis Case, 
Peter Q. Holcombe, 
John H. Williamson. 

1875. 
Martin J. Bellis, 
William W. Bellis, 
William B. Prall, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
Jonathan B. Higgins, 
Peter Q. Holcombe, 
John H. Williamson. 

1876. 
Martin J. Bellis, 
William W. Bellis, 
William B. Prall, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
Lewis C. Case, 
Peter Q. Holcombe, 
Holloway Streeter. 

1877. 
John Quick, 
William B. Prall, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
Thomas Miller, 
Peter Q. Holcombe, 
Robert R. Smith, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 335 



Holloway Streeter. 

1878. 
John Quick, 
James P. Chamberlin, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
Thomas Miller, 
Peter Q. Holcombe, 
Robert R. Smith, 
Martin J. Bellis. 

1879— 1882. 
Board re-elected. 

1883. 
John Quick, 
James P. Chamberlin, 
John B. Lowe, 
Thomas Miller, 
David S. Weart, 
Robert R. Smith, 
Martin J. Bellis. 

1884. 
John Quick, 
Thomas Miller, 
Martin J. Bellis, 
David S. Weart, 
James P. Chamberlin, 
John B. Lowe, 
Arthur Shipman. 

1885. 
Theodore F. Swarer, 
Thomas Miller, 
David S. Weart, 



James P. Chamberlin, 
John B. Lowe, 
William Pierce, 
Arthur Sutphin, 

1886— 1888. 
Board re-elected. 

1890. 
Isaac S. Lowe, 
Thomas Miller, 
David S. Weart, 
James P. Chamberlin, 
John B. Lowe, 
William Pierce, 
Theodore F. Swarer. 

1891 — 1892. 
Isaac S. Lowe, 
James P. Chamberlin, 
Thomas Miller, 
David S. Weart, 
William E. Huffman, 
William Pierce, 
John B. Lowe. 

1893— 1894. 
Isaac S. Lowe, 
William Pierce, 
David Hill, 
John B. Lowe, 
William E. Huffman, 
G. R. Hill, 
Lewis Sutphin, Jr. 



336 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



1895— 1897. 
Isaac S. Lowe, 
Henry Kline, 
David Hill, 
M. W. Robinson, 
Lewis Sutphin, Jr., 
James Shepherd, 
Charles Cronce, 



1898 — 1900. 
Isaac S. Lowe, 
H. B. Kline, 
David Hill, 
James Shepherd, 
Lewis Sutphin, Jr., 
Johnson Pierce, 
Charles Cronce. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 337 

ROLL OF MEMBERS. 

We have no roll of the members of the Church until 
we reach the modern period. 

PERIOD III REV. JOHN FLAVEL CLARK, 

l820 igOO. 

Among the old papers in a box handed to Dr. Mott 
by Mr. Wm. P. Emery, I found a single sheet of paper 
written by Rev. John Flavel Clark, on which he states 
he had first preached as a supply at Amwell, October 
28th, 1820. On this paper he gives a list of communi- 
cant members of Amwell First Church at that time, 
which is as follows: 



Mr. Titus Quick, Elder, 
Mrs. Hannah Quick, 
Mrs. Mary Prall, wife of 

Dr. Wm. Prall, 
Mrs. Mary Hoagland, 
Mrs. Mary Wilson, 
Mr. Isaac Taylor, 
Mrs. Margaret Taylor, 
Mr. John Kee, 
Mrs. Mary Schenck, wife 

of Wm. G. Schenck, 



Mrs. Sarah Prall, wife of 

Abm. Prall, 
Mrs. Ann Sutphin, wife 

of Derick Sutphin, 
Mrs. Lucretia Prall, wife 

of Theo. Prall, 
Mr. Tunis Quick, 
Mrs. Rhoda Quick, 
Mrs. Mary Schenck, wid- 
ow, 
Mr. Enos Lanning, 
Mrs. Enos Lanning. 



Seventeen in all, and not a young person among them. 



22 



338 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Received by Rev. John 
Flavel Clark: 

i 821 — CONFESSION. 
Mrs. Mary Sutphin, 
Mrs. Martha Foster. 

1822. 
William Hall, 
Mrs. Sarah Sutphin, 
Mrs. Mary Tenbrook, 
Mrs. Mary Prall. 

ON CERTIFICATE. 

Miss Catalina Horlinger, 

Miss Rebecca Van Pelt, 

Miss Lena Mattison, 

John Hageman, 

Mrs. Leucretia, his wife. 

1 823 CONFESSION. 

Peter Prall, 

Mrs. Catharine Stout, 

Mrs. Frances Higgins, 

1 824 CONFESSION. 

Derick Sutphin. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Sophia Hageman, 
Parmela Hageman. 

1 825 — CONFESSION. 
John P. Quick, 
Mrs. Ann Blackwell, 
Mrs. Mary Bellis, 
Miss Betsy Ann Mattison. 



1 826 CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. John G. Lanning. 

1 828 CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Margaret Blue. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Miss Catherine Quick. 

1 829 — CONFESSION. 
George F. Wilson, 
Mrs. Lucretia, his wife, 
Gideon Quick, 
Sarah Fisher, his wife, 
Jacob Schenck, 
Mrs. Jane, his wife, 
Mrs. Sarah Labaw, 
Mrs. Jonathan Hoagland, 
Lewis Labaw, 
Eliza Skillman, 
Alpheus Chamberlin, 
Mrs. Catherine, his wife, 
Peter Young, 
Mrs. Eliza, his wife, 
Joseph Sutphin, 
Mrs. Man", his wife, 
Polhemus Higgins. 

1 83O CONFESSION. 

Mr. John Holcombe, 
Alexander McGaw, 
Mrs. Margaret Stryker, 
Miss Julia Ann Case, 
Samuel, a man of color, 
William G. Schenck, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 339 



Henry Schenck, 
Mrs. Eliza, his wife, 
Peter Quick, 
Mrs. Ann, his wife, 
Abraham Prall, 
Arthur Sutphin, 
Mrs. Mary, his wife, 
Stephen Stryker, 
Mary Edward, 
Abraham, a colored boy. 

1 83 I CONFESSION. 

Joseph Van Marter, 
Jacob Polhemus, 
Eliza Prall, 
Charity Meldrum, 
Peggy Schenck, 
Debora Vanniss, 
Gabriel Vanniss, 
Caleb Farley, and 
Caty, persons of color. 

1 832 — CONFESSION. 
Miss Margaret Bowman, 
Miss Harriet Schenck, 
Miss Jane Schenck, 
Hart Wilson, and 
Amelia, his wife, 
Nathaniel Wilson, 
Nan, a man of color, 

1 83 3 — CONFESSION. 
John Young, 
Keziah, a woman of color, 



Jonathan Conover, 

John Young, 

Betty, a woman of color. 

1 834 CONFESSION. 

Frank, a man of color, 
Miss Margaret Bowman, 
Mrs. Sarah Ann, wife of 

Nathaniel Wilson. 
1 836 — CONFESSION. 
Miss Gertrude Edwards. 
In all 73 on examination, 

9 by letter. 

Received by Rev. Mr. 
Hull: 

1837 — confession. 
Jane, a woman of color, 
Harriet, a woman of color, 

CERTIFICATE. 

Miss Mary Ann Wilson. 
1 838 — confession. 
Elder Tunis Quick, 
George P. Rex, M. D., 
Gertrude, his wife, 
Mrs. Sarah Sutphin. 

184O ENROLLED FROM 

CLOVER HILL. 

Jacob Nevius, 
Hannah, his wife, 
Jacob Williamson, 
Martha, his wife, 



340 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Henry Van Derveer, 

Charity, his wife, 
Peter C. Schenck, 
Catharine, his daughter, 
John W. Bellis, 
Zebulon Stout, 
Letitia, his wife, 
Mrs. Anna Case, 
Mrs. Clorinda Case, 
Mrs. Theodosia Dilts, 
Mrs. Sarah Bellis, 
Mrs. Anna Nevius, 
Mrs. Alletta Kearney, 
Sampson M. Smith, 
John Wortman, 
Jacob Voorhees, 
Susan, his wife, 
Mrs. Sarah Dilts, 
Mrs. Ann Young, 
Mrs. Margaret Newal, 
Cornelius P. Brokaw, 
Catharine S., his wife. 

1 84O CERTIFICATE. 

Ralph Sutphin, 
Catharine, his wife. 

CONFESSION. 

Miss Elizabeth Hageman. 

1 84I CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Young, 
Mrs. Peter D. Young, 
Mrs. Theodore Young, 



CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Wilhelmina Schenck. 

1 842 CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Peter C. Rea, 
Mrs. Joseph D. Moon, 
Miss Harriet Phillips, 
Miss Gertrude Nevius, 
Molly Rea, a girl of color. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Jane Hull. 

1 843 CONFESSION. 

Miss Nancy C. Schenck, 
Kuhl Dilts, 
Jacob W. Nevius, 
Mary D. Hudnut, 
Maty Voorhees, 
Mrs. George Nevius, 
Derick Sutphin, 
Elizabeth, his wife, 
Theodore J. Young, 
Margaret K. Wert, 
Jacob J. Schenck, 
Elnathan D. Van Kirk, 
Abraham Polhemus, 
Eleanor, his wife, 
Alice Ann W. Polhemus, 
Rachel C. Polhemus, 
Mary Young, 
Mrs. Jacob Prall, 
David J. Bellis, 
John L. Bellis, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 341 



Susan F. Prall, 
William V. Waldron, 
Laura, his wife, 
Mrs. Mary Sutphin, 
Abraham P. Sutphin, 
Sarah Ann, his wife. 

CONFESSION. 

Ann Sharp, 

Sarah M. Dilts, 

Mary Sutphin, 

Elizabeth Wortman, 

Clara L. Quick, 

William Van Marter, 

Jacob Prall, 

Katharine Prall, 

George B. Smith, 

Joseph Chamberlin Sut- 
phin, 

Cornelia Ann, his wife, 

John Sharp, 

Mary Bellis, 

Margaret Deats, 

Katharine Higgins, 

Peter Q. Nevius, 

Betty Wilson, a woman of 
color, 

Caleb T. Prall, 

Hester, his wife, 

John J. Young, 

Mrs. Ketenus Young, 

Miss Mary Case, 



Miss Anna Labaw, 
Miss Bella Labaw, 
Miss Rose Ann, a person 
of color. 

1844. 
Stephen L. Mershon. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Jacob Van Derveer. 
Being 101 in all. 

Received by Rev. Mr. 
Carrell : 

1 845 certificate. 

Edward L. Reed, 

Rachel S. Reed, 

Mrs. Mary S. Carrell, 

Miss Rhoda Quick, 

Garret Schenck, 

Ann, his wife, 

George P. Rex, M. D., 

Gertrude, his wife, 

Mrs. Gilbert Van Camp, 

Mrs. Jacob Nevius, Jr. 

CONFESSION. 

Ketenus Young, 
Mrs. John Case. 

1 846 CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Peter C. Schenck, 
Mrs. William Van Mar- 
ter, 
Mrs. Lanning Nevius, 



342 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Miss Sarah Hagaman. 

CONFESSION. 

Jacob Q. Spadin, 
William Sheppard, 
Nelson Warner, 
Hannah Prall, 
Susan Stout, 
Rebecca Young, 
Mary Waldron, 
Leah Hoagland, 
John Y. Bellis, 
Elizabeth Ann Bellis, 
Thomas Wilson, 
Susanah Wilson, 
Josiah Young, 
Mary Young, 
John Phillips, 
Martha M. Phillips, 
Nathaniel Wilson Young, 
John Van Ess, 
Jacob F. Quick, 
Christianna Quick, 
John Quick, 
Frances Quick, 
Alburtus Bird, 
Lucretia Bird, 
Sarah Ann Bird, 
Catharine Griggs, 
Ellen Schenck, 
Theodosia Schenck, 
Mary Nevius, 



Catharine Holcombe, 
Sarah Catharine Worman, 
Elizabeth Myers, 
Miss Hanna Bowman. 
Also these persons of color : 
James Williamson, 
Charles Wilson, 
Catharine Hagaman, 
Catharine Williamson. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. William Sheppard, 
Mrs. Eleanor Knouse. 

1 847 CONFESSION. 

Isaac Young, 

Mrs. Hankinson Kinney. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Waterman Thomas, 
Mrs. Maria Johnson, 
Mrs. Abraham Quick. 

1 848 — CONFESSION. 
John Brown, 
Mrs. John WyckofF. 
Mrs. Alexander Stryker, 
Miss Elizabeth Little. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Ann Brewster, 

Miss Elizabeth Young. 

1 849 CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Ketenus Young. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Garret Schenck, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 343 



Ann, his wife, 
Miss Ellen Schenck, 
Miss Theodosia Schenck, 
Miss Maria Lanning, 
Mrs. Peter Case, 
Dinah, a woman of color, 
Obedia Howell Hazard. 

1 852 — CONFESSION. 

Abraham Young, 
Clarinda, his wife, 
Mary Wood, 
Harriet Atkinson, 
Mary West, 
Anna Higgins, 
Sarah D. Young, 
Sarah Holcombe, 
Mary Graff, 
Miss Letitia Wilson. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Prall Chamberlin. 

1853. 
Andrew Alpaugh, 
Mrs. Julia Dana, 
Joseph C. Huff, 
Margaret Ann, his wife. 

1854 CONFESSION. 

Jacob K. Van Derveer, 
Peter Case, 
Clarinda Labaw, 



Sarah Labaw, 
Miss Ellen Young. 

1855. 
Horace Nelson, 
Mrs. Christian Nevius. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Cornelius Wyckoff, 
Sarah, his wife. 

l857 CERTIFICATE. 

Miss Mary Hudnut, 

Mrs. Alpaugh. 

1858. 
Mrs. John Soms, 

Mrs. Soms. 

CONFESSION. 

Mrs. William Parker, 

1859. 
Jacob S. Prall, 
Rebecca, his wife, 
James P. Foote, 
Miss Hannah Soms. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Lewis Chamberlin, 
Mrs. Elizabeth Stout, 
Mrs. Elizabeth Dungan. 
Received on Confession 72 
By Certificate 34 



In all 106 



344 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Received by Rev. Mr. 
Van Wyck: 

1 860 CERTIFICATE. 

Mr. Edwin Bartow, 
Mary, his wife, 
Nathan Solomon, 
Mrs. William Bellis, 
Mrs. Jane Y. White. 

CONFESSION. 

Christopher J. Dillon. 
Catharine, his wife, 
Miss Catharine Sutphin, 
Thomas Hall, 
Jacob Hall. 

1 86 1 CONFESSION. 

Miss Elizabeth Young. 

1 862 CERTIFICATE. 

William S. Higgins, 
Ellen M. Wolverton. 

CONFESSION. 

George Young. 

Received by Rev. Mr. 

Janeway : 

1 863 confession. 

Mrs. Ellen Rea, 
Martin J. Bellis, 
Mrs. Martha R. Hol- 

combe, 
Mrs. Ann Sutphin, 
Mrs. Mary E. Schenck, 



Mrs. Mary Conover, 
Mrs. Sarah Ann Hall, 
Mrs. Sarah Conover, 
Mrs. Mary M. William- 
son, 
Lewis Sutphin, 
Joseph C. Harrison, 
Levi Holcombe, 
Mrs. Van Horn, 
Mrs. Eliza Young, 
Miss Sallie A. Quick, 
Miss Jenny Quick, 
Joseph Brown, 
Joseph Titus, 
Mrs. Rachel Foot, 
Mrs. Henrietta Priestly, 
Mrs. Caroline William- 
son, 
Mrs. Mary Wilson, 
Miss Delilah Martingale, 
Miss Rebecca Voorhees, 
Miss Isabella Wood, 
Mrs. Madelin Brown, 
Miss Cornelia Cortelyou, 
Miss Frances Drake, 
Miss Ann Augusta Cor- 
telyou, 
Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, 
Mrs. Maria Higgins, 
Oliver Phillips, 
Jonathan B. Higgins. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 345 



CERTIFICATE. 

Thomas Reeder Snook, 
Sarah, his wife, 
Abraham S. Stone, 
Mrs. Lydia Stone, 
John H. Johnson, 
Mrs. Mary, his wife, 
Miss Sarah Johnson. 

1 864-— CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Ann Higgins, 
Miss Maria V. Higgins, 
Miss Margaret Young, 
Miss Mary Ann Dilts, 
Jacob Dilts, 
Mrs. Jane Ann Dilts, 
Mrs. Rebecca Stout, 
Mrs. Matilda Robins, 
Mrs. Mary Brown, 
Mrs. Mary Chamberlain, 
Mrs. Eleanor La Rue, 
Mrs. Jemima Johnson, 
Mrs. Ellen S. Hunt, 
Miss Debora La Rue, 
Miss Mary Jane Voorhees, 
Miss Georgiana Height, 
Gideon Stout, 
Mrs. Eliza Stout, 
Mrs. Sarah Maria Todd, 
Mrs. Louisa Waldron, 
Mrs. Anna E. Hudnut, 



Miss Rebecca E. Matti- 
son. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Levi C. Little, 
Robert W. Hunt, 
John Wyckofr", 
Mary, his wife, 
Miss Mary Ball. 

Received by Mr. Up- 
ham: 
1 865 — confession. 
Miss Pauline Meyers, 
Miss Augusta Young, 
Edward I. Smith, 
John Emilie Holcombe, 
Mrs. Holcombe, his wife, 

CERTIFICATE. 

Irenaeus R. Glen, M. D., 
Mrs. Annie H. Upham, 
Mrs. Martha W. Voor- 
hees, 
Mrs. Mary Elizabeth 

Wyckofr, 
Mrs. Martha Smith, 
Mrs. Christianna Hiner, 
Mrs. William Q. Hiner. 
1 866 — confession. 
William Lanning, 
Elizabeth, his wife, 
Mrs. Harrison Sutphin, 



346 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Miss Amanda Quick, 
Miss Catharine Quick, 
Miss Caroline Johnson, 
Miss Sarah Pyatt. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. William J. Huff- 
man, 
Mrs. E. Rynearson. 

1 867 CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Margaret B. Van 

Fleet, 
Miss Sarah Housel, 
Mrs. Mahlon Higgins, 
Mrs. Stout Servis, 
Abraham J. Prall, 
Mrs. Prall, 

Miss Mary Dalrymple, 
Miss Mary Catherine 

Hartsel, 
Mrs. Miller K. Reading, 
Miss Susan Anna Packer, 
William C. Ball. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Col. John H. Sutphin, 
Mrs. Dr. Irenaeus R. 

Glen, 
Miss Augusta Case, 
John Wilson, 
Mrs. John Wilson, 
William G. Hill, 
Rebecca Ann, his wife, 



J. T. Hudnut. 

1 868 — CONFESSION. 
William B. Prall, 
Elizabeth, his wife, 
Miss Caroline Roden- 

baugh, 
Miss Anna Housel, 
Miss Mary Cronce, 
Levi Housel, 
Edward Larison. 

CERTIFICATE. 

John J. Marsh, 
Mrs. Maria Marsh, 
Miss Rebecca Huffman. 

1869. 
Mrs. Martha Skillman 
Holcombe, 

CONFESSION. 

Miss Louisa Cole, 
Jerry Bristow, colored. 

1870. 
Miss Jane Hagens, 
Miss Mary Ann Thomson, 
Henry H. Hageman, 
Miss Carrie Hill, 
Miss Mary C. Reed, 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Rebecca B. Hage- 
man, 
Mrs. John Williamson, 
Jacob H. Wessels, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1900 347 



Albert Case, 

Miss Mary Jennings 
Crocker. 

187 I CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. John P. Quick, 
George P. Rex, M. D., 
Mrs. Gertrude, his wife. 
In all on Confession. . 37 
In all on Certificate . . 29 



Total 66 

Received by Rev. John 
H. Scofield: 

l872 CONFESSION. 

Miss Hannah Rex, 
Miss Sarah L. Waters. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Harrison Sutphin, 
Caroline, his wife. 

l873 CONFESSION. 

Rachel W. Conover, 
John Waters, 
Peter Quick Holcombe, 
Emma Sophia Bellis, 
Abraham J. Prall, Jr. 
Mrs. Anna Cornelia, his 

wife, 
Mrs. Ara Hill Blackwell, 
Mrs. Catharine Louisa 

McPherson, 



Miss Hannah M. Sut- 
phin, 

Miss Caroline V. D. 
Case, 

Miss Catharine C. Case, 

Miss Elizabeth Ann 
Hilyer. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Miss Jeannetta McPher- 
son, 
Mrs. Annie E. Cronce, 
Samuel H. Hageman, 
Mary C, his wife, 
John N. Giles, 
Sarah C, his wife, 
Aaron Auten, 
Sarah M., his wife, 
Twenty-four in all. 

Received by Rev. Mr. 
Beekman : 

l875 CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Hannah Wood, 
Catharine Van Est Sut- 
phin, 
Mrs. Mary Wortman, 
Miss Selina Wortman, 
Miss Elizabeth C. Sut- 
phin, 
John K. Shurts, 
Miss Sallie A. Waters. 



348 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Helen B. Beekman, 
Harriet Mary Williams, 

colored. 

1876 — CONFESSION. 
William Deats, 
George S. Davis, 
William Osborn, 
Moses Lapsley, 
Miss Hannah M. Hill, 
Miss Catherine Quick, 
Cassie Rex, colored, 
Miss Mary Fink, 
John S. Hoagland, 
Jacob Osborn, 
Miss Juliette Blanch Belk- 

man, 
Miss Addie H. Prall, 
Miss Mary Quick, 
Miss Mary D. Hoagland, 
Mrs. Eliza Hill, 
Mrs. Martha H. Young, 
Mrs. Esther Ann Osborn, 
Miss Luella Stryker, 
John W. Dalrymple, 
Barton Huffman, 
David B. Huffman, 
Lewis Getherd, 
Miss Maggie K. Smith. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Nathaniel G. Wilson, 



Caroline A., his wife, 
Mrs. Sarah V. Pierce. 

1 877 — CONFESSION. 
Millard Farrow, 
Theodore Todd. 

1 878 CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Magdalene Wal- 

dron, 
Mrs. Joanna Farrow, 
Miss Naomi Farrow, 
Miss Emma Farrow, 
Miss Helen Farrow. 

Received by Rev. Mr. 
Blattenberger : 
1 879 — confession. 
James P. Chamberlin, 
Thomas Miller, 
William Hill, 
Mary Ann, his wife, 
William F. Chamberlin, 
Arthur Sutphin, 
Leonard D. Wilson, 
John J. Hall, 
David S. Prall, 
John K. Agans, 
Brogun B. V. N. Lowe, 
Calvin Hoagland, 
Mrs. Ann E. Strimple, 
Mrs. Ellen A. Smith, 
Miss Sarah Q. Hagaman, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820-1900 349 



Miss Sarah M. Haines, 
Mrs. Sarah Louisa Fish- 
er, 
Mrs. Lucretia H. Dilts, 
Isaac S. Lowe, 
William E. J. Huffman, 
Caleb F. Quick, 
Catharine B., his wife, 
Jacob Hoagland, 
John E. Hoagland, 
Mrs. Ellen Hoagland, 
Mrs. Ada V. Hill, 
Mrs. Ellen Hill, 
Miss Julia Sutphin, 
Miss Ella L. Smith, 
Miss Sallie Dilts, 
Miss Mary E. Prall, 
Miss Hannah Prall, 
Miss Lizzie P. Hill, 
Miss Fannie Quick, 
Miss Julia H. Smith, 
Miss Georgiana Dilts, 
Miss Mary Chamberlin, 
Miss Kate C. Holcombe, 
Miss Bell Hill, 
Miss Hannah B. Hocken- 

bury, 
Miss Ann Rebecca Deats, 
Miss Cora L. Bowlby, 
Miss Mary Prall, 
Miss Wilhelmina Sipler, 



Miss Kate Jones, 
Mrs. William Servis, 
Mrs. Rachel Trimmer, 
Mrs. Elizabeth D. A. Ser- 
vis, 
David Chamberlin, 
Clarinda, his wife, 
William Boughner, 
Walter M. Risler, 
William Dilts. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Mattie Blattenber- 

ger, 
Mrs. Rebecca M. Cham- 
berlin, 
John B. Lowe, 
Mrs. John B. Lowe, 
George W. Deats, 
Mrs. Ann Dilts, 
Theodore F. Swarer, 
Mrs. T. F. Swarer, 
Henry F. Apgar, 
Mrs. H. F. Apgar, 
Mrs. Theodosia Hall, 
Mrs. M. Elizabeth Hig- 

gins, 
Mrs. Hannah M. Hoag- 
land, 
Mrs. Rachel Lowe, 
Mrs. Rachel B. Bough- 
ner, 



350 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Mrs. David Bartson, 

Mrs. William Servis, 
Mrs. Elizabeth D. A. Ser- 
vis, 
Mrs. Rachel Trimmer, 
Miss Abigail Marsh, 
Miss Mary P. Quick, 
Miss Anna W. Bowlby. 
1 880 — CONFESSION. 
Mrs. Fanny Griggs, 
Miss Sarah E. Van Horn. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Miss Mary A. Wilson, 
Stephen A. Staats, 
M. V. Gulick, his wife, 
Jonathan E. Haines, 
Miss Rebecca Fink, 
William S. Schenck, 
Mary Young, his wife. 
1 881 — CONFESSION. 
Ralph Y. Smith, 
Miss Mary Ann Sipler, 
Miss Kate C. Griggs, 
Miss Mary J. Housel, 
Miss Sarah Agans, 
David R. Housel, 
George F. Bacon, 
Emma C, his wife, 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Jennie Smith, 
Mrs. Emeline Laubach. 



1 882 CONFESSION. 

Samuel Haines. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Miss Jennie Hoagland, 
Richard B. McPherson. 
1 883 — CONFESSION. 
Miss Kate R. Holcombe, 
Miss Bessie Smith, 
Miss Georgie Holcombe, 
Miss Lydia Zeaman, 
Miss Mattie E. McPher- 
son, 
Miss Rettie R. Higgins, 
Miss Carrie Boyce, 
Miss Maggie Hunt, 
Miss Mary Etta Van 

Horn, 
Schenck Smith, 
Hannah M., his wife, 
Miss Lizzie Kisz, 
Miss Maggie M. Kisz, 
Miss Annie E. Mitter, 
Miss Minnie L. Hoag- 
land, 
John J. Kisz, 
Alexander R. Griggs, 
Samuel Peters, colored. 

CERTIFICATE. 

B. B. Voorhees, 
Martha Pittenger, his 
wife, 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1 820-1 900 351 



Isaac N. Brokaw, 
Elizabeth A., his wife, 
Mrs. Cora E. Wilson, 
J. Jacob Kisz. 

1 884 CONFESSION. 

Miss Cornelia Hill, 
Andrew M. Dilts, 
Charles M. Sipler, Jr., 
Mrs. Martha T. Todd, 
Miss Sarah M. Lyman, 
Dora Hoagland. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Gertrude V. M. Pe- 
terson, 
Lemuel Hoagland, 
Mary, his wife. 

1 885 — CONFESSION. 
Miss Laura B. White, 
Miss Emma F. Hall, 
Miss Susie K. Cronce, 
Miss Cora M. Sutphin, 
Frederick Dirking. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Mary Everett, 
Mrs. Rhoda F. Quick. 

1 886 CONFESSION. 

Mrs. Robert R. Smith, 

Jr., 
Lemuel White, 
Mary F., his wife. 



CERTIFICATE. 

Frederick Powelson, 
Emma B., his wife, 
Mrs. Ann R. Sweitzer. 

1 887 CONFESSION. 

John W. Lebler, 

Augusta, his wife, 
Miss Cornelia A. Case, 
Frederick V. D. Durham. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Rose Young Prall, 
Henry Lunger, 
Mrs. Sarah R. R. Hoff- 
man. 

Received by Rev. T. C. 

Potter : 
1 888 — confession. 
Mrs. Winfield Case, 
Jonathan T. Conover, 
Asher Higgins, 
Charles F. Creveling, M. 

D., 
Malvina Baird, colored. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Elizabeth M. Pot- 
ter, 
Mrs. Lizzie Higgins, 
Mrs. Isaac Wyckoff, 
Mr. George H. Horsfall, 
Mrs. George Horsfall. 



352 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



1 889 CONFESSION. 

Alvin Hill, 
Lewis C. Sutphin, 
John V. M. Wyckoff, 
Mrs. Mary E. Carkhuff, 
Mrs. N. M. Resch, 
Miss Anna M. William- 
son, 
Miss Hannah R. Swarer, 
Miss Hannah E. Hoag- 

land, 
Mrs. Maty Hoffman, 
Miss Laura E. Dilts, 
Miss Mary L. Dilts, 
Johnson B. Pierce, 
William L. Van Syckle, 
Robert M. Conover. 

CERTIFICATE. 

John C. Williamson. 

Received by Rev. J. B. 
Kugler: 

1 89O — CONFESSION. 

Eugene La Tourette, 
Alfred Reasinger, 
Ira Hill, 
Joseph Higgins, 
Bessie Hill, 
Lena Wyckoff, 
Jennie V. C. Staats, 
Mrs. Margaret Case, 



Miss Annie Higgins Case. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Annie Cramer Kug- 
ler. 

1891 — CONFESSION. 
Mrs. Henry Daniels, 
Miss Florence A. Boyd, 
Howard C. Sutphin, 
Charles H. Snook, colored, 
Elmer White. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Robert Boyd, 
Elizabeth P., his wife, 
Cornelius Miller, 
Mary Whitenack, his wife, 
John L. Burke, 
Sarah, his wife, 
Miss Pearl Burk, 
Morris W. Robinson, 
Lizzie J. Stiger, his wife. 

1 892 CONFESSION. 

Charles T. Hockenbury, 
Miss Ellen C. Young, 
James Woodburn Wilson, 
Augustus Lebler, 
Mrs. Augustus Lebler, 
Robert R. Smith, 
Brokaw Quick, 
Mrs. Jane Ann Quick, 
Jesse B. Conover. 



THE MODERN PERIOD— 1820- 1900 353 



CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Lewis Huff, 
Mrs. Woodburn Wilson, 
Mrs. Mary E. Kane, 
Mrs. Horace Herder, 
Mrs. Charles F. Crevel- 
ing. 

1 893 CONFESSION. 

William B. Prall, Jr. 

CERTIFICATE. 

John Young, 
Henry C. Kline, 
Jennie C. Young, his 
wife. 

1 894 CONFESSION. 

Anna A. Sutphin. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Samuel Griggs, 
Georgianna, his wife, 
Belle C. Griggs, 
Mrs. Isaac Lowe, 
Mrs. Johnson B. Pierce, 
Mrs. Mary C. KarkhufL 

1 895 CONFESSION. 

John H. Swarer, 
Wilhelmina Rounsaville, 
Robert Smith, 
Charles Cronce, 

23 



Samuel Gano, 
Samuel Hall, 

Miss Elizabeth E. Walk- 
er, 
John V. Hoagland, 
Mrs. John Swarer, 
John Q. Williamson, 
Mary Ann, his wife, 
William H. Housel, 
Peter H. Conover, 
William H. Conover, 
Sarah Taylor, 
Cora B. Rounsaville, 
Cornelia R. Smith. 

CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Peter H. Conover, 
Mrs. Charles D. Wyck- 

off, 
Mrs. W. Y. Holt, 
William B. Dungan, 
Mrs. William B. Dun- 
gan, 
Elizabeth Dungan. 

1896. 

None. 

1 897 — CONFESSION. 

Mrs. William Cronce, 
Sarah Mowry, 



354 



AMWELL FIRST CHURCH 



Eleanor Griggs, 
.Alexander Stiyker, 
E. Myrta Bellis, 
.Anna W. Sutphin. 

1898 — CONFESSION 
Elizabeth S. Hall. 



I 898 CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. William B. Prall, 
Jr. 

1899 CERTIFICATE. 

Mrs. Howard Sutphin, 
Mrs. John Ent. 



MAR 17 1913 



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